The Queen of Hearts
by Christie1001
Summary: The journey of Helena from being the Princess of Hearts to become the heartless Queen. Starts four years after Simon and Helena's wedding, before the birth of the twins. *Sorry for my english, it's not my first language.*
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Simon, this is ridiculous! You can't put my horse to sleep." – shouted Princess Helena as she stormed into her husband's study. She deliberately ignored the other man in the room with the Prince of Wales, their equerry."

"She threw you off, you could have died." – answered Prince Simon with a worried look in his eyes.

Helena shook her head angrily.

"She didn't throw me off. I felt dizzy and I fell."

"It doesn't matter how it happened."

"I know why you are doing this, but…" – started the Princess in a softer tone – "…killing an innocent animal in cold blood, it isn't you."

"I was worried about you."

"I know."

Helena took a deep breath and turned away.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm fine. Just a little nausea."

"You may have a concussion."

"Oh for Christ's sake, I don't have a concussion." – barked the Princess.

Her husband still looked concerned as he stepped closer to her.

"You should be in bed."

Helena smiled.

"I was, until I heard what you are planning to do with Hyppolita."

"I won't kill the horse…" – started Simon.

"Good." – nodded his wife and she believed that the problem was solved.

"…but I want to sell it at least." – the Prince finished his sentence.

"Absolutely not."

"I don't want to see you on a horse ever again."

"No! You can't do this. You can't take that away from me!" – screamed the Princess a little more dramatic than she planned.

"You know how I feel every time you go out riding."

Helena sighed. She took a step toward her husband and grabbed his hands.

"I know and I'm flattered that you are so worried about me, but…"

"Of course I'm, you are my wife."

"…you need to let it go, Simon. It's not going to happen again. I'm not her. Anyway, it's never the animal to blame, it's always the rider."

Simon looked away sadly.

"More reason not to let you…"

"You can't forbid me anything." – said his wife in a firm voice.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm just asking you…"

"Come here. Look me in the eyes and listen to me. I don't want to argue today because…" –

started Helena and she gently put her arms around her husband.

"Because?" – asked Simon excitedly as he returned Helena's hug.

"...because that's not why I'm here."

They completely forgot about the presence of the equerry.

"No? So why are you here then?"

The Princess playfully kissed him.

"To please you. As always."

"Then maybe we should go someplace else…" – said the Prince and he tried to pull his wife towards the door.

"No. Here is perfect."

Simon was a bit disappointed as he turned back to Helena.

"What?"

She didn't answer, just smiled.

"What is it, Helena?"

"I'm pregnant."

He picked her up in his arms and passionately kissed her.

"God, I love you so much."

They heard somebody knocking on the door and Simon's security detail came into the room.

"Your Highness, it's time to go."

"What?" – Simon seemed confused.

"The opening ceremony of the new museum. The Prime Minister is already on his way. We shouldn't be late." – explained the body guard.

"Yes, of course." – Then he turned to his wife. – "Good-bye, love, see you at the Dinner."

He kissed her and left the room. Helena wanted to follow him, but she changed her mind. She turned to the equerry.

"If anything happens to Hyppolita, you're going to find yourself on the streets quicker than you could say I was an equerry in the royal stables."

* * *

As she walked out of the door, she felt she needed some fresh air. She went to the balcony where she bumped into her brother-in-law.

"Congratulations!" – Cyrus said, with pretended joy.

"Oh! So Simon already told you in the last…" – Helena looked at her watch – "…well two minutes and forty-eight seconds."

Her brother-in-law didn't confirm that he heard it from Simon, but his tone suggested something much more concerning.

"Your mother will be thrilled. More children for you, more diamonds and titles for her."

"I guess, it's true. You know her well." – answered the Princess, prepared to engage in a small talk.

"Unless…"

She looked at him suspiciously.

"Unless what Cyrus? I don't have time for your little games."

"Unless that man I've seen last month coming out of your bedroom has something to do with your current state." – he finished triumphantly.

Her heart started to beat faster, but she remained as calm as she could.

"He was a friend, I've already told you."

Her assistant showed up at the glass door then she stepped out to the balcony.

"Your Highness!"

The Princess turned to her.

"Yes, Rachel?"

"Prince Robert returned from his afternoon walk."

"Tell the nanny to bring him to my room. Thank you!"

As Rachel disappeared, Helena walked to the door and looked back to Cyrus.

"Listen, Cyrus! I really don't appreciate your attempts to pull us apart with Simon. What is the point anyway?"

Cyrus was smiling at her.

"You know that I have always wanted what my brother has."

"And I also know that you are never going to have it." – she said firmly.

"Hope dies last. Especially now that I know your bedroom doors are always open for a good friend." – Cyrus laughed.

Helena didn't bother to answer, she just turned her back on him.

"Where are you going?" – asked the man.

"You make me feel sick."

Her brother-in-law was ready with an answer.

"Are you sure it is me and not your boyfriend's embryo?"

"Fuck you, Cyrus!" – said the Princess as she left the balcony.

* * *

Helena returned to her room and lied to her bed. Five minutes later the nanny knocked and came in with Prince Robert.

"Hello, darling, how was your afternoon?" – asked Helena with a smile on her face.

"Did you fall off your horse?"

"Robert, answer me when I ask you a question."

She realized that the nanny was still there, so she sent her away.

"So how was it?" – she repeated her question.

"It was good." – came the short answer from her two and a half year old son.

Helena tried again.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing. Really?" – she asked him with overacted surprise.

The little Prince nodded.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

He shook his head.

"No."

"No? Come up here. That's it." – said Helena as she pulled her son up to the bed next to her. Then, she started to tickle him.

The little boy giggled.

"Stop it, mommy, I'm ticklish."

"I bet you are. I love you." – said the Princess and she kissed her son.

"I love you too." – answered Robert, then he turned to his mother. – "Mommy?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Did you fall off the horse?"

"I did." – she said and caressed his shoulder. But he didn't stop.

"Did it hurt?"

"Just a bit."

"Do you feel better now?"

"Yes, much better."

"Good."

They remained silent for a while.

"Have you been a good boy?" – asked Helena because she didn't know what else to say.

"Yes. We fed the ducks. They were very hungry. Can I sleep with you?"

Robert could jump very easily from one subject to another.

"No. You have your own bed, you have to sleep there." – she smiled, but her voice was firm.

"I don't want to." – said the little Prince and he clung at her mother's dress.

"Don't whine, Robert. Do you remember what you promised me?

He shook his head.

"Yes, you do." – answered Helena instead of him. – "You promised to be a good boy, remember?"

"Yes. Then I can sleep with you?" – he asked innocently.

The thought of blackmail made Helena really angry, especially that day.

"No. You have to be good because I told you so. Not because you get something in return."

"Sorry."

She felt guilty as she saw the tears in his eyes.

"It's all right. I have to leave earlier today. Your father and I will be having dinner with the Prime Minister. Would you like to help me prepare?"

Robert nodded. Helena got out her makeup kit and she gave one of the lipsticks to his son. She explained to him how to use it, but of course, the toddler smudged it all over her face.

"How do I look?" – she asked curiously, before she looked herself in the mirror.

"You are very pretty." – answered Robert.

When she finally saw her image in the mirror, she laughed.

"Pretty? That's what you think?"

The little boy giggled.

"Do you think the Prime Minister will like me?"

One of the servants came into the room.

"Your Highness!" – She was a bit surprised by the look of the Princess, but she continued. – "Katie sent me, I'm here for Prince Robert. It's time for his bath."

"Thank you." – answered Helena and she turned to his son.

"Good night, darling."

"Good night, mom."

The servant took Robert's hand and walked him toward the door, but Helena's voice stopped them.

"Robert! Are you going to be a good boy?"

"Yes." – answered the Prince.

"Do you promise me?"

The boy nodded. Helena sighed.

"Then maybe I reconsider your request and maybe I let you sleep here on your birthday."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Two months later.

Prince Simon was lying in his bed listening to the sound of his wife as she struggled with her morning sickness in the bathroom.

"Goddammit, Rachel! Just hold my hair! Is that too much to ask?" – shouted the Princess.

Simon smiled. At the same time, his phone rang. His mother, the Queen called him to announce the death of his father. After they hung up, he went to the bathroom to break the news to his wife.

"Simon, get out!" – ordered Helena when she saw him in the mirror. – "You know that I hate when you watch me…" – she couldn't finish her sentence.

He turned away his head, then he decided to leave the room. She came out from the bathroom five minutes later with pale face and ruffled hair, but she seemed more calm.

"So what did you want to say?" – she asked as she started to brush her hair.

"My father died."

"What? That is… that is so unexpected. I'm so sorry, darling." – said Helena, and with the hair brush still in her hand she hugged her husband.

"I'm going to the Buckingham Palace. Are you coming with me?"

"I can't, I'm sorry. The doctor will be here soon. First real ultrasound, you know." – smiled the Princess.

Her husband nodded.

"Make sure, he takes some pictures of her… or him."

* * *

"Good morning, Doctor!" – said the Princess as her gynecologist entered the bedroom.

The doctor bowed.

"Your Highness!" – He started, then he added in a friendly tone. – "Are you excited?"

"I can't wait." – answered Helena honestly.

He put the ultrasound machine on her belly, but he didn't say anything.

"So… girl or boy?" – asked the Princess impatiently.

But the doctor was still awfully silent. That made her nervous.

"Is something wrong? Problem with the heartbeat?"

The man finally began to speak.

"No. You don't have to worry. Everything is fine. You are expecting twins."

Helena was shocked.

"Twins? Let me see them."

When she saw the ultrasound image, she suddenly thought about Alistair.

"What if they are his children? Isn't that an evil metaphor of her life? … Two men, two babies…" – she thought. – "It doesn't matter. I'm their mother and I'm going to love them."

"Of course, you are, Your Highness." – answered the doctor kindly.

"What?" – Helena was surprised by his words until she realized that she actually said the last sentence out loud. – "Oh, I'm very happy. The Prince will be too, thank you, Doctor."

When the doctor left, she was still thinking about Alistair. He has called her twice since that night, but she didn't return his calls. Still, she was worried about him. He was in a so fragile state, she could barely recognize the man he used to be. His words still echoed in her ears.

* * *

" _Welcome to the Kensington Palace, Captain Alistair Lacey!" – greeted the Princess her ex-lover with overacted happiness in her voice to mask her uneasiness._

" _It's good to see you He… Your Highness!" – he answered reservedly._

 _Helena took a step towards him, she didn't know what to say. He changed so much._

" _It was a long time… You are so thin. Are you all right?"_

 _Alistair laughed bitterly._

" _No. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I needed to see you."_

 _The Princess felt uncomfortable hearing this confession and she didn't want anyone else to hear it too._

" _Why don't we go to my room?"_

 _When they got there, she couldn't hold back further her thoughts._

" _Where have you been? I haven't heard from you for… years. I used to ask my mother about you, but of course, she didn't tell me anything."_

 _He looked at her scornfully._

" _I was in war. You knew that. And you never bothered to know if I'm dead or alive."_

 _The Princess smiled at him sadly._

" _I knew that you were alive. My husband is in the Royal Navy. He gets the reports every month on the military casualties."_

" _Your husband. The Prince of Wales."_

" _Yes. Couldn't we just move on from that?"_

 _He saw that his comment annoyed her, but he didn't stop._

" _No, we can't. You are a Princess, you lived in a place like this in the past four years while I was sleeping in a tent listening to the sound of gunfire and explosions… You don't understand…"_

" _Then, explain it, please. Talk to me!" – she begged._

 _After a long pause, she added:_

" _You said I broke your heart when I got married, but now you're breaking mine."_

 _Alistair was struggling with his feelings, but he finally decided to tell her the reason of his visit._

" _Hellie, you know how much I loved you. You weren't just a lover to me, you were my best friend. After you left me, I had nothing. I was alone since I was a kid… but in the Army, I suddenly had a family. It's so different when your life depends on someone else. It's so simple. You don't have time for playing games or lying and betraying… you only have time for love because the next day you or your comrade might just die."_

" _I've never lied to you, Alistair..." – Helena interrupted him quietly._

" _I know. But that doesn't mean you didn't hurt me. I went to Kuwait, for god's sake, to forget you."_

 _The Princess cleared her throat._

" _And did you? Did you forget me?"_

 _He snorted._

" _No. I mean, how could I? You're the Princess of Wales, you are everywhere."_

 _Helena nodded. She felt that this was a mistake and she was about to end the conversation, but she couldn't help herself asking:_

" _Was that the only reason?"_

" _Of course not."_

 _After a long pause, Alistair continued._

" _They want to give me some kind of medal. As if they know anything about this… the war… These people…Your people…"_

" _My people?" – asked the Princess resentfully._

" _Yes, your people." – he repeated._

 _Helena suddenly felt anger boiling up inside of her._

" _So here we are again. Poor little stable boy and the mean aristocrats. All you had to do was to elope with me. But you didn't. You were a coward."_

 _Her ex-lover shouted back._

" _This is not about you. For once in your life, Helena, this isn't about you."_

" _Then who?"_

" _They want to honour me because I killed people."_

 _She couldn't take it anymore. She walked to him and caressed his cheek._

" _You saved people."_

" _Not everyone."_

 _She lowered her hand._

" _What do you mean?"_

 _Alistair sighed._

" _There was a boy, Henry. He was a lot like me. He lost his family and he lost his love too, so it wasn't so hard for us to find the common voice. For the past three years he became my best friend. Indeed, among those circumstances, he meant more than anything to me. Even more than you."_

" _You mean…"_

" _No, not that way. But he was family and I couldn't save him. The day that he died… I should have been the one to step on that mine…"_

" _Don't say that!" – she begged with tears in her eyes._

" _Do you remember that night when you brought your father's gun to the stables and asked me to kill you?"_

 _Helena downcasted her eyes. She felt ashamed._

" _I wasn't serious…"_

" _I know, but I'm thinking about it a lot. What if I would have shot you? And then myself?"_

 _His words terrified her._

" _Please, stop it."_

 _But he continued._

" _Maybe it would have worth it."_

 _She looked him in the eye and took his cheeks into her hand._

" _You can't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault."_

 _He took her hands and kissed her on each palm._

" _I don't blame myself, don't you get it? I blame you."_

 _Helena pulled away her hands._

" _Me? That's insane."_

 _Alistair laughed at her._

" _I would' have never had my heart broken, if it wasn't for you. I would have never seen war, I would have never killed people, if it wasn't for you. I would have never known Henry, if it wasn't for you and I would have certainly never had to watch him die."_

" _It's not fair, Alistair. You know it's not fair." – cried the Princess and tears ran down her face._

" _Life is not fair, Princess. We can't all live in a castle happily ever after."_

 _Helena sighed. She was still sobbing, but her voice was firm._

" _Maybe you shouldn't have had to come here."_

" _Maybe I shouldn't." – agreed the man._

 _They remained quiet for a while, but then the Princess broke the silence. She didn't cry anymore and her voice was dreadfully emotionless._

" _You can't imagine how much your words hurt me. That you of all people actually believe what you say about my life. Four years ago I was forced to marry a man I barely knew. A man who whispered me about another girl on our wedding night. A man who still grieved his lost love as I did mine. Yes, eventually we got used to each other, we had a son, and you are not the only one with a family now. I got one too. But now you are suddenly here out of nowhere with all your hatred and accusations and I don't know what to say or do because…"_

 _But then Alistair stopped her with a kiss._

" _No, no... Please, Alistair, stop! – she moaned as he gently started to remove her clothes. – "I can't... I can't do this…"_

 _He let go of her, but his eyes were begging to her._

" _Please, Hellie, I love you. I'm begging you, help me forget him." – he whispered and Helena finally gave up her resistance._

* * *

She was looking at the picture of her babies what the doctor left her, and she decided to ask for Robert. He was the only one who could distract her thoughts and might cheer her up a bit as well.

"Come here, darling, I'd like to tell you something." – she said when her little boy arrived.

"Why are you still in pyjamas?" – he asked curiously.

"It's not pyjamas, it's a nightgown."

"Answer me when I ask!" – demanded Robert imitating his mother's tone.

"You are your mother's son, that's for sure." – muttered Helena. – "I'm in bed, because the doctor was here."

"Why? Are you sick, mommy?"

"I'm not sick. He came to see me because you are going to be a big brother soon."

The Prince looked confused.

"What's a big brothel?"

"Not brothel, it's brother." – said Helena with a smile.

"What's a brothel?" – Robert asked again because he sensed from her mother's voice that this word might be more exciting than the other one.

"It's a place for adults." – came the answer.

"Do you go there?"

"No. I went there once in Amsterdam, but I didn't like it."

The little Prince didn't let it go just yet.

"Does Daddy go to the brothel?"

Helena sighed. She started to regret that she let her son take control of the conversation.

"I hope he doesn't."

"Why?" – asked the little boy.

"Because if he loves me, he doesn't need to go there."

"Then I don't go there, mommy."

The Princess smiled.

"That's very kind of you, darling. Now can we focus on the word _brother_ instead?

Robert nodded.

"So…" – started Helena. – "You are going to be a big brother, which means that you are not going to be the only child here anymore. I was an only child and I was always very sad about it when I was little."

The Prince listened to her very carefully, but he didn't seem to fully understand."

"Why were you sad?"

"Because a brother is a friend. And I didn't have one. Your father has a brother, your uncle Cyrus."

"But mommy…" – chirped Robert on his high voice. – "Uncle Cyrus is not my friend."

Helena laughed with him.

"You are right. It wasn't a good example. But you will love your brother. Or your sister, if it's a girl. I can promise you that."

Robert still didn't fully get it, but he seemed to understand at least that something good would happen to him.

"Can I tell you a secret?" – asked the Princess very seriously.

The little boy nodded.

"Your father doesn't know about this, you will be the first to know. But you can't tell anybody. Can you do that?"

"Yes." – said Robert as seriously as her mother.

"You are a very lucky boy. You will have not one, but two friends. Two brothers or two sisters… or one brother and one sister."

"That will be fun." – declared the little boy, although in his vocabulary a friend usually meant something he could carry around in his hands, then put back on the shelf. And definitely not Uncle Cyrus.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The King's funeral took place ten days later. The roads from Buckingam Palace to the church were closed because the Royal Family decided that instead of arriving by car, they would honour the deceased King by walking from the palace to the sanctuary. The Dowager Queen was escorted by his two sons, King Simon and Prince Cyrus. They were followed by the young Queen and her mother.

After the service, the King and Queen shook hands with the people who gathered on the street outside the cordons, then they went back to their car. Rachel stood by the vehicle and as she opened the car door, she whispered to the King:

"I informed the chauffeur about the change of the itinerary."

"And my son?"

"The Prince is already in there."

The King nodded and smiled at her.

"Thank you, Rachel. Enjoy your day off!"

"What was that about?" – asked the Queen as they got into the car.

"Hi Mom!"

Helena started at the voice of her son.

"Robert? What are you doing here? You should be at home. Simon, what's going on?"

King Simon giggled like a little child, who was caught doing something bad.

"A little change of plans. We don't go straight back to the Buckingham."

His wife gave him a blank look.

"Why?"

"Because I want to spend some time alone with you two, with my family."

"Simon, you can't do this." – cried out the Queen.

"Just a few hours."

"But everybody is expecting us… The burial feast…"

Helena sighed when she saw that she couldn't bring her husband to reason.

"We'll be back to the reception, don't worry." – said the King and kissed her on the cheek.

Half an hour later the car stopped.

"So where did you bring us?" – asked Helena as she got out of the car. – "Oh, a forest! That's… very original. I wish you would at least have let me change my clothes before you kidnapped me."

Robert laughed at her as she tried to pull her high-heels out of the mud.

"Don't worry, Mommy, I brought you trainers."

She smiled at him.

"Well, it's undeniable that you are the cleverest man in this family."

A moment later their security details joined them with blankets and a picnic basket. The King took these items from them and sent them away.

"Thank you. We walk from here, you can leave now. I'll call you in a couple of hours."

Soon, they arrived at an opening. They laid down the blankets and settled down on the lawn.

"How does it feel?" – asked Helena as she lay down on her husband's lap. – "How does it feel to be the King of England?"

Simon put his hands on her slightly rounding belly. She has never done such thing with her husband before, the picnic was always their thing with Alistair, but now it suddenly seemed natural.

"Overwhelming, I guess." – answered the King. – "My father just died, a great king, and now everybody is watching me. I know I shouldn't have had to run away, but… I needed one more day. One more quiet day like this. What about you? How does it feel to be Queen?"

"I don't know… I always thought that this day would come when we were old. At least my mother is finally happy. Is it true that I have to redecorate the whole Buckingham Palace?"

"I'm afraid so." – sighed King Simon. – "I'm going to miss Kensington, I love that place."

"Yeah, me too." – said the Queen.

"Fortunately, Cyrus will be there."

"Cyrus? I didn't know that he is moving in with us, why don't…" – started Helena, but something stopped her in the middle of her sentence.

After he successfully removed his father's shoes, little Robert tried to pull off his mother's too.

"…Robert, what are you doing?"

"A castle."

"A shoe castle?" – asked Helena kindly, but she suddenly realized the meaning of her words. – "Oh my god, where did you put my Jimmy Choos?" – she screamed referring to the pair of high-heels which she forgot to put in the car before it drove away.

"You may not want to know that, my love." – remarked Simon, who was watching his son's actions for a while.

"Are you mad, Mommy?" – asked the little boy with an innocent look in his eyes.

"I'm not. Just don't take off your own, okay sweetheart? I don't want you to catch a cold." – said the Queen and she looked up to her husband.

He smiled at her and she smiled back. His warm hand was stroking her stomach and she suddenly realized that she still didn't tell him about the twins. The thought of the babies reminded her of Alistair again. If at least it has been the best sexual experience of her life… but it was awful and humiliating and he wetted her all over with his tears… Yet, the moment she saw him she knew that she still loved him.

She suddenly felt very tired. She tried to fight her weariness, but she couldn't anymore. She was already half-asleep when she decided:

"Alistair has to go. No matter how much she loves him. It's too late. He is her past, but he will never be her future." – She thought and she fell asleep.

When she woke up, it was already dark and chilly. She realized that she was still lying in her husband's lap. She slowly sat up and muttered in a sleepy voice:

"Simon? What time is it?"

"Half past seven." – answered the King.

"What? We are going to miss the reception. Why didn't you wake me up?" – she asked angrily and now fully awake. – "Where is Robert?"

The little Prince was on the other side of the blanket and slept as an angel until his mother's voice woke him up.

"Come on, darling, we are going home."

"Why?"

"Because it's late."

She turned to her husband to urge him when she realized that he couldn't get up.

"Simon, what's wrong?"

When he looked at her, the King couldn't retain his smile.

"I was sitting here for two hours while you two were sleeping. On me. I can't feel my legs."

"You are amazing, I hope you know that." – laughed the Queen as she helped him up.

Simon smiled at her. A compliment was a rare gift from Helena.

They headed back to the car, but forty minutes later it was obvious that they got lost.

"Let's not pretend anymore that you know the way, Simon. Just call someone!" – begged the Queen, but in fact she enjoyed the unexpected adventure.

"I've already called them." – answered the King patiently. – "They are looking for us."

"What if they don't find us?" – asked Robert curiously.

"Then your Uncle Cyrus gets an early Christmas present and becomes king." – giggled Helena. – "Imagine the headlines: Royal family went MIA…."

"The runaway King…" – added Simon.

Helena continued the joking.

"I can't believe that we can't find the way out of this small forest. We don't deserve to be called the Prince and Princess of Wales.

"Then it's a good thing that we are not them anymore."

"Do you hear that, Robert? It's all your fault." – said the Queen playfully to her son and she kissed him.

A couple of minutes later they noticed flashlights in the distance. The bodyguards finally found them and took them back to the Palace.

* * *

By the time they arrived, everybody was there. The dinner was over, so the family and the guests were talking in the main parlour. Simon immediately sat down and engaged in a conversation, but Helena excused herself and left. She headed to their room to change her clothes and probably take a shower too, but she lost her way and got into the throne room.

"Twice in a day? Great." – she mumbled.

Suddenly she heard the voice of her brother-in-law from the other side of the room.

"All hail the King! And our pretty pregnant Queen, of course!"

Cyrus was sitting or rather lying on his late father's chair.

"You're drunk, Cyrus." – shouted Helena across the room.

"And high. Care to join?"

"No, thanks."

She shook her head, but she walked to him anyway.

"That's a shame. It would have been much easier…"

Helena didn't understand what he meant by that, but she had to experience it very soon. Cyrus quickly stood up, grabbed her arm and pushed her to the chair next to him, the Queen's chair. He leaned down to kiss her neck while he put his hand on her leg.

"Cyrus! What are you doing? Get off of me!"

But he didn't listen to her. He plucked at her dress and tried to tear down the fine black lace. Even so, Helena wasn't afraid of him. His movements were desperate rather than brutal. Suddenly, she heard him sobbing.

"What is wrong with the men that they all choose her lap to cry on?" – she thought and she was about to free herself from his weight when her husband's security detail entered the room. He ran to them and pushed Cyrus to the floor. When he tried to stand up, he hit the Prince on the face.

"That's enough, Mr. Pryce!" – said the Queen and stood between them.

The body guard shook out his hand and looked at Helena.

"Would you like me to take Prince Cyrus back to his room?"

"No, thank you. I'll handle it from here."

Her reaction surprised him, so he asked again.

"Are you sure, Your Majesty?"

"Yes. It's a family matter. Your services are no longer needed today."

He nodded and was about to leave, but Helena's voice made him stop.

"And Mr. Pryce, my husband doesn't need to know about this."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." – said the man and he walked out of the room.

Helena helped up her brother-in-law and slowly led him to his bedroom.

"Come on, Cyrus, let's get back to your bed."

"I'm glad you changed your mind." – whispered Cyrus with a painful smile on his face.

Helena shook her head disapprovingly.

"Don't even dream about it. You touch me again and I make sure that Simon banish you from the palace for good. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

She tried to help him lie down, but he lost his balance and accidentally pulled her down with him to the bed. For a moment, they both lay there silently, trying to catch their breath, then Cyrus turned to her sister-in-law:

"Why are you doing this?"

"What?" – asked the Queen.

"Being nice to me."

Helena rolled her eyes.

"Because believe it or not, we have a lot in common."

"Such as?"

His stroppy question made Helena smile bitterly. Cyrus always reminded her of the bad things in her life.

"Once upon a time we both wanted something we couldn't get. You wanted to be king and I wanted to be free."

"Free for what?" – he asked, but he still played uninterested.

Helena sighed.

"For love… for making decisions on my own..."

"You are a fool if you can't appreciate the throne." – Cyrus snorted.

"You are a fool if you can't appreciate your freedom." – responded his sister-in-law.

They were silent for a while.

"Lady Alexandra is a real piece of work, isn't she?" – remarked the Prince.

"Yeah. Your mother too." – she answered after a long pause.

Cyrus suddenly cried out.

"They should just love us, no matter what."

Without a word Helena got up and headed to the door.

"Get some sleep, Cyrus."

His weak voice stopped her.

"Helena…?"

"Yes?"

"…Thank you!" – he finished his sentence very quietly.

She laughed as she turned to him.

"Oh! The most surprising words coming from your mouth! But I didn't do it for you. Just a matter of time and we have to move here. I want the transition to be smooth. I may need an ally."

* * *

The next morning a bouquet of orchids arrived for the Queen with a note: "Congratulations! You got yourself an ally."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

 ***Say no to drugs! :)***

"I can't do it. Look at this dress, I can't breathe. And I have to wear a mantle too. As if I didn't carry enough weight already. Of course, it was the Queen Mother who couldn't wait with the coronation." – whined Helena who literally shook with excitement.

Her assistant, Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Luckily, you are the Queen now, you don't have to do what she says anymore."

"You're right, Rachel. That was the last time she double-crossed me." – Helena took a deep breath. – "I feel so sick all day. What if I throw up in the middle of the ceremony? That would be quite a scandal."

"About that. I got you something." – said Rachel as she got out a small brown sac of her bag.

The Queen took the sac from her outstretched hand and opened it.

"Rachel! Are you giving me weeds? You can't be serious." – she screamed.

Her assistant just shrugged her shoulders.

"It helps with the nausea."

They were quiet for a little while.

"Are you sure?" – asked the Queen doubtingly.

Rachel nodded. Helena hesitated for a moment, but she was feeling so sick that she couldn't resist.

"Okay, fine. Give me a lighter."

Rachel handed her one and she lit the joint.

"This is quite relaxing, I have to admit." – said the Queen after she inhaled deeply the cigarette.

Her assistant, on the other hand, didn't seem so relaxed when she heard her last sentence.

"Wait! You don't say that this is your first time?!" – she asked in shock.

Helena looked at her and started to laugh.

"Well, of course it is. In my mother's house I never really had access to these kinds of things."

However, her joy didn't last too long. The door suddenly opened and her husband came into the room.

"Simon! What are you doing here?" – she asked nervously as she passed the joint to Rachel, who rushed into the bathroom with it.

The King was surprised by his wife's reaction.

"I just came to check on you. Your mother has arrived."

"I'll be right there." – sighed Helena in relief.

King Simon looked in the direction of the bathroom door which was just slammed before him.

"What are you hiding there?" – he asked excitedly.

"Nothing." – said the Queen immediately. Then, she came up with the best lie, she could find out in such short notice. – "Okay, I may or may not have let Rachel try on my dress. So now she is naked in there."

Simon seemed to believe her, but this wasn't enough for him to leave.

"And what is this smell?" – he asked again.

Maybe she was already high, but the second lie came rather easily for Helena.

"Incense. It helps with my nerves. Any other stupid question or you let me get ready? – she snarled at her husband.

"All right, all right. I love you too." – the King raised his hands defensively and he walked out of the room.

* * *

"Mother, it's nice to see you." – Helena greeted her mother with open arms as she joined her husband and son in the spare room.

Her mother eyed her up and down.

"Oh darling, you look… fat." – she said finally and kissed her on the cheek.

The Queen rolled her eyes.

"I'm pregnant."

"I'm well aware of that, but still." – continued Lady Alexandra. – "Let's hope you fit through the doors of the Westminster Abbey."

Somehow, Helena didn't feel that her mother's insults could hurt her this time.

"I'm the Queen of England. If I don't fit through, they make bigger doors for me."

Lady Alexandra glanced at her daughter appreciatively.

Little Robert ran to her mother from the corner of the room.

"You look like the Sun, Mommy." – he said as he took a glimpse of her golden gown.

Helena crouched down beside him and she kissed him all over.

"You are my Sun, darling."

Her mother snorted disdainfully.

"You spoil that child. If he lived under my roof…" – she started, but her daughter didn't let her finish.

"Over my dead body." – said the Queen. – "Besides, he is a prince and the heir to the throne. He would be spoiled anyway."

"And who do you thank for this?" – asked the older woman furiously.

That was the point where Simon lost his temper.

"Alexandra, that's enough. Would it kill you to be a little nicer to her? She is your daughter."

"Simon, it's okay." – said Helena, who tried to avoid a family feud right before the coronation ceremony.

However, her mother didn't give up so easily.

"My daughter appreciates that I'm always honest with her. Isn't it true, Helena?"

"Yes, it is." – said the Queen quickly. – "Don't we have to leave now?"

The King shook his head.

"Just one moment, my love. I would like to have a word with your mother."

He turned to his mother-in-law and continued.

"If you are willing to reconsider your attitude towards my wife, I can give you a new title."

"What title?" – asked the woman eagerly.

"The Grand Duchess of Oxford."

"Simon!" – cried out Helena in shock. – "I may have asked you to give her a title, but not half of your kingdom."

"Let your husband speak, Helena." – said the future Duchess.

"The title belonged to my aunt Caroline. She had a property with a very nice castle too, in Northumberland." – added King Simon.

"That's the other side of the country. I would barely see my daughter, my grandchildren…"

"That's the castle, which comes with the title. You can't be choosy." – finished her son-in-law and he turned to his wife with a knowing wink.

"Oh, in that case, let the game begin..." – decided Lady Alexandra. – "Helena, darling, you look absolutely lovely. You are the most beautiful Queen I have ever seen."

"Thank you, mother." – said the Queen with a fake smile.

Her mother continued.

"I'm so proud of you."

Helena shook her head.

"Okay, enough. You don't have to overact it."

* * *

Rachel has been already on her way to the coronation ceremony in a carriage with Prince Cyrus and the Queen when she realized that she might have committed the biggest mistake of her life.

"Fabulooouuss." – moaned Helena. – "The uniforms, the guards, the carriage… I have never sat in a carriage before. Not the most comfortable means of transport, but still. This is every little girl's dream…" - she giggled.

Cyrus became more and more annoyed by her as the time passed.

"Whose idea was to seat you in my carriage?"

His sister-in-law didn't seem to hear him. She was more interested in a white horse which was trotting next to their carriage.

"Look! So cute. I love horses. I wish I could go on horseback like Simon. I'm so high."

"Yes. We figured that much." – grumbled Prince Cyrus.

"This is a disaster." – hissed Rachel.

"It's an understatement." – answered the Prince. – "You'd better start looking for a new job, I'm pretty sure that this was your last day with us."

Helena looked from one to the other as she began to speak.

"Nooo, Rachel is staying. That is an order. From the Queen. The Queen…the queen… the fucking queen of fucking England… My mother, she was right. She did that… I could never do such thing to my children. I love Robert sooo muuuch, you know that Rachel, don't you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." – said her assistant quietly.

"And I think… I think that this whole thing is worth it. Because of him it is worth it."

Her brother-in-law couldn't take it anymore.

"Oh, can you just shut up already? This day is bad enough without your incoherent bullshitting. You are worse than your two-year-old."

"We have arrived." – announced Rachel when they finally stopped. – "Good luck!"

"Tell it to the fucking Queen of fucking England." – replied the Prince and he got off the carriage.

* * *

 _\- LIVE BROADCAST OF THE CORONATION OF KING SIMON -_

JENNY COLE: "Welcome Everybody! For those who just turned on their tv-s, I'm Jenny Cole, celebrity stylist…"

CHARLES TRAVERS: "… and I'm Charles Travers, historian."

J.C.:"And it's almost 11 o'clock here on BBC where we offer you a chance to watch the most fabulous event of the year with us. The coronation ceremony of King Simon and Queen Helena.

C.T.:"Speaking of King Simon, he has just arrived on his horse. In military uniform, of course."

J.C.:"He looks very handsome, I must say, Charlie."

C.T.:"You are right, Jenny, it was a long time ago that we had such a young king. And an even younger and more beautiful Queen."

J.C.: "A Queen in Alexander McQueen. The Palace confirmed two months ago that he would be the one to design her coronation gown. He didn't have much time though. It's very unusual to crown the new king so soon. Generally, they wait a year, a year and a half with the coronation ceremony."

C.T.:"The procession sets off, the King is already in the church. And here comes the carriage of the Queen…"

J.C.:"And she is not the one who gets out first. It's the Duke of York. Nice trick."

C.T.:"There she is… and that is a surprise. The rumours were true, she is clearly pregnant."

J.C.:"Well, she cancelled some of her events in the past few months, but nobody was sure until now. She chose a nice way to tell it to the world."

C.T.:"Or the Queen Mother did it for her. As far as I know she was the one who decided on this date. We might say that the two queens have a rocky relationship."

J.C.:"Who hasn't with her mother-in-law? But let's not talk about the Queen Mother now."

C.T.:"Right! Queen Helena is gorgeous and she seems very happy."

J.C.:"Ah, that golden gown is amazing. And do you see her jewels? She has ten brooches under her chest, the flags of the countries of the United Kingdom and the other states of the Commonwealth of Nations."

C.T.:"Let's not forget about the embroidered Tudor rose on her belly either. It's very creative, it seems completely solid because of her baby bump."

J.C.:"She always had a sense of humour that is why we love her."

C.T.:"The last Queen who was pregnant at her coronation was Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII."

J.C.:"That's right. Let's hope, Charlie, that Queen Helena's reign will be longer-lasting than poor Anne Boleyn's."

C.T.: "In the meantime, everybody walked into the church and took his or her place. The choir starts to sing a psalm. After the King said his prayer, they bring in the coronation regalia and place it on the altar."

J.C.: "And now King Simon is going to the Coronation Chair…"

C.T.: "…but before he sits down, he has to be presented to the public in each direction. Here we are and the audience replies every time: 'God save the King.'"

J.C.: "King Simon has only one task before the crowning, he has to take the Coronation Oath and kiss the Bible."

C.T.: "Now that he is seated in the Coronation Chair, he is given the blessing of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Crown is placed on his head. As His Majesty the King leaves the Chair, the Queen steps forward."

J.C.:"She also has to kneel before the altar and say a prayer before her crowning."

C.T.: "A little prenatal yoga…"

J.C.: "Charlie!"

C.T.:"What?"

J.C.: "You are so rude."

C.T.: "All right, I'm sorry, Now that the Queen is given the blessing and the Crown…"

J.C.: "…a crown which was made specifically for her by the Royal Jeweler…"

C.T.:"Yes, indeed… and now… Finally, the other members of the royal family pledge allegiance to the new King and Queen of England.

J.C.: "In this moment the ceremony is over. The crowd starts to sing the national anthem and King Simon and Queen Helena leave Westminster Abbey."

C.T.: "They go to the cordons and shake hands with the people. Queen Helena still seems extremely happy. What is she doing? She borrowed someone's camera and now she is taking pictures of the crowd…"

J.C.: "Not just of the crowd. She is posing with her fans and they are taking pictures together… Amazing! She is still our princess. We love Queen Helena."

C.T.: "And now she is asking King Simon for a photo. Hilarious! The people are crazy about her. They are shouting her name for minutes."

J.C.: "Oh my God, did she just kiss him?"

C.T.:"Well, he is her husband…"

J.C.:"What a kiss was that! Actually, we have never seen them kissing before, not even at their wedding, am I right?"

C.T.:"If I remember correctly he kissed her hand and she kissed him on the cheek…but not on the lips that is for sure. This was their first public kiss."

J.C.: "It was a beautiful ending for this beautiful event, but unfortunately we must say 'goodbye' now. Thank you for watching us, I was Jenny Cole and here with me, my lovely colleague…"

C.T.: "…Charles Travers. Thank you very much! Have a nice day for all of you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

By next morning the papers were all over the news of the coronation, highlighting the fact that the new Queen stole the spotlight from her royal husband.

"Simon, I'm so sorry about yesterday." – started Helena her apology leaning over her husband's shoulder as they were looking at the newspaper covers. – "I don't know what I was thinking. It must have been the hormones. These babies are already making me crazy."

"You'd better get used to it because we are going to spend the rest of our lives with them." – smiled the King and gently caressed his wife's arm. – "I don't care about the press. You and I had fun yesterday, this is the only thing that matters."

"It's very cute from you to say that…" – she replied and kissed him on the cheek. – "…but I'm afraid that the others won't be so understanding. My behaviour reflects poorly on our family which means it reflects poorly on the monarchy."

"You don't have to worry. Your reputation is intact." – came a voice behind their back. They both turned around and they saw Cyrus leaning on the door. – "While you did everything possible to ruin our family image, the people apparently think the opposite. Do you remember that paparazzi picture of you and Robert in the woods, lying in my brother's lap…?"

The King and the Queen looked at each other in confusion.

"Yes, of course..." – she finally said – "… but it was months ago."

"The people seem to think that you were still holding the grudge and that your spontaneous photo shoot after the coronation was a counterattack against the tabloids after they abused your privacy."

"But how? Why?" – asked Helena, who was stunned by the words of Prince Cyrus.

"You should read the article as well before you judge by the cover."

Queen Helena quickly opened the paper and started to read.

" _The Queen was understandably upset because of the incident, like any other mother would have been after a tabloid had released unauthorized pictures of her child. She thought that by making this gesture towards the British people she could show that the royal family is always open and ready to share their life with you if in exchange you would respect their privacy. – revealed an unknown source from the Palace."_

"Cyrus, you are a genius." – Helena cried and she looked thankfully at her brother-in-law.

"What is good for you, good for the monarchy. But you are welcome." – the Prince mumbled.

"Thank you!" – she said and for a brief moment there was a risk that she would hug him, but Cyrus quickly took a step back and exited the room.

* * *

Helena was lying on the play carpet in Robert's room which was showing the map of London. Her son built the rails of his toy train on her belly and pretended that it was a mountain that the train ran through. They would celebrate his birthday with a lavishing party in an hour and the Queen wanted some time alone with him before the festivity.

"Are you sleeping?" –asked the Prince when he realized that his mother's eyes were closed.

"No, I'm just tired." – answered Helena trying to resist the urge to move a bit.

Robert sighed like a troubled doctor.

"You are always tired."

The Queen smiled at him and caressed his cheek.

"Tell me about it." – she said and she added. – "Blame it on your brothers or sisters."

They were quiet for a while, then the little boy broke the silence.

"Mommy? When are they coming?"

Because of his birthday party Helena wasn't sure if he was talking about the guests or something totally different.

"Who?" – she finally asked.

"Brothers or sisters." – said Robert who was still capable of keeping her mother's secret about the twins.

"Soon, I hope." – yawned the Queen. – "Are you excited?"

Robert hesitated, then he answered uncertainly:

"No."

Helena knew that her husband would have been upset and would have started to lecture Robert, but she felt unnecessary to engage in a long explanation about brotherly love with a three-year-old.

"Are you excited, Mommy?" – the Prince asked after a short pause.

"I am." – came the answer from her mother.

"Why?" – he asked again.

"Because I don't know who their father is." – thought Helena, but of course she didn't say it out loud. – "Because they will be my children like you and I will love them because I love you very much." – she said.

"Mommy, you pushed my train off." – whined Robert after his train fell off her belly.

"No, I didn't." – denied Helena, but in fact, she was happy that she could finally sit up.

"Yes, you did." – repeated his son, who was still angry with her.

"It wasn't me, I swear." – said the Queen patiently. – "They did it. They are constantly kicking inside me."

Robert put his little hands timidly on her mother's belly.

"Did you feel it?" – she asked after a moment.

"Yes." – replied her son. – "But tell them not to push my train off."

Helena laughed at him.

"You can tell them as well. You are their big brother."

He took her advice and he said as imperiously as he could:

"I'm your brother. Don't kick my train…"

Helena looked at him as if she was waiting for something.

"Please?" – she said in a questioning tone.

"…please!" – repeated little Robert.

Helena couldn't hold in her smile. He was such a good boy, she hoped that the twins would turn out the same.

"Okay. It's time for you to get ready for your party." – she finally said and got up from the floor. – "Your guests must have arrived. I'd better go and say 'hello' to them. I will meet you there."

* * *

Later that day, at the party, the Queen was stopped by her mother-in law.

"Bravo Queen! What a nice debut! The things are about to change in the monarchy, you made that very clear."

Helena was Simon's wife for almost five years, but she never heard a nice word from the Queen Mother.

"I'm sorry, Gloria. It won't happen again." – she said quickly and she hoped that the conversation was over.

However, a fake apology was certainly not enough for the other woman.

"It's a shame. I had such high hopes for you when I chose you."

"First of all, Simon chose me, not you so stop referring to me as some kind of mail-order bride. God!" – sighed Helena and she rolled her eyes.

"You are very proud of you, aren't you? You successfully got rid of your mother, but I tell you, it won't be that easy with me." – hissed her mother-in-law.

The Queen almost felt sorry for the Dowager Queen that she was so threatened by her, but she always knew how to upset her. Helena didn't think before she replied:

"Oh, I wasn't the one who "got rid of my mother", it was all Simon. I have never asked him to do that for me. Imagine what he would do if I actually did ask something."

"Listen to me. You may have Simon, but this won't be enough." – cried the Queen Mother who started to realize that she lost this battle. – "You can fancy yourself that you are the Queen of England, but in this palace, I'm the only queen. Everybody here works for me and not you. Well, except for that black servant girl of yours until she begins to steal the silver."

Helena would have generously let her mother-in-law win, but attacking Rachel was too much.

"Racism, really?" – she said angrily. – "That is a new low, even for you. Besides, you'd better not underestimate her. Or me. You don't know everything. You want to, but you don't. I'm full of surprises."

The Queen Mother laughed at her.

"Yes, we saw that yesterday. Everyone did. The people will remember that and they are never going to accept you as their queen. Nor my family."

Now, it was Helena's turn to smile.

"You didn't hear the good news. It has all been taken care of. And the British people… well, they love me more than ever. I just got a message from Elton John, he puts me on a pedestal for taking actions against paparazzi. Your son is a real asset for me."

"Of course, Simon would do anything for you." – the Queen Mother waved resignedly and looked her daughter-in-law in the eyes. – "However, like I said earlier, it won't be enough."

"Sure…" – nodded Helena and took a step toward the older woman. Their faces were an inch away from each other. – "…but I wasn't talking about Simon."

When she saw the disappointed look on her face, Helena already regretted what she said.

"Look, I don't want to argue." – the Queen started in a conciliatory voice. – "I really appreciate this party you made for Robert, I'm sure he loves it. We are a family after all."

"We are indeed. I don't want to argue either." – replied the Queen Mother, but her face didn't express any feelings.

"And just so you know, I have already told Simon that you willl accompany him to the Opera tomorrow instead of me. I know you love classical music." – said Helena proudly although it wasn't a big sacrifice from her since lately, after eight o'clock she was a zombie anyway."

Her mother-in-law nodded.

"Good!" – she said and left her without thanking her or saying anything else.

* * *

Helena stared after her, wondering about their unconventional relationship, when she saw her brother-in-law.

"Cyrus! What can I do for you?" – she asked and she smiled at him.

"I heard you speaking to my dear mother. I assume you mentioned her our little partnership." – he hissed angrily.

"Yes." – replied Helena and bowed her head.

Cyrus cracked his fingers.

"I want her out." – he said finally.

The Queen looked at him with surprise.

"Out? Out of where? Why?"

"Of this palace, obviously!" – he explained. – "Of this country if it's possible. You of all people should understand why a grown-up man doesn't want his mother around."

"I do, but… What can I do?" – asked Helena who felt uncomfortable after his request.

"You did a great job with _your_ mother." – he pointed out.

"The Queen Mother told me the same…" – started the Queen – "…and I told her too, that it was Simon, not me."

"Even better. Listen! After your baby was born everybody will be watching you. You can say anything and the people will listen. Use it! Make the Queen Mother seem irrelevant so she could have no choice, but to become irrelevant."

Helena sighed. She had controversial feelings. She knew that she would be better off without the Queen Mother watching her every step. However, she could make a dangerous enemy and Helena had doubts about the outcome of their war. Besides, she was Simon's beloved mother and Robert also loved having her around.

"I don't know, Cyrus. I mean she did this great party for Robert… she is family, I don't want to screw her over."

"She doesn't consider you family. Do you know what she calls you? – Cyrus asked with an omniscient smile." – " _Backup wife_. If you know what I mean…"

Helena's face turned into a painful grimace.

"Dominique..." – she mumbled.

Her brother-in-law knew that he didn't need much to convince her.

"We can only have one queen. For both of our sakes, I hope it will be you. Besides, you owe me."

The Queen nodded resignedly.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Wait. Let her think she is safe." – he informed her of the plan. – "Let her think she defeated you. But later, when you give birth to your baby, make a big deal out of it… Be spectacular! Steal the spotlight! Apparently you have a talent for it..."

When Helena replied she sounded like a natural schemer.

"I can manage that. Trust me, it will be a _huge_ deal." – she said and she placed her hands on her stomach.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Since the royal babies decided to be born earlier everything was turned topsy-turvy in the Palace. It was half past three in the morning. Queen Helena was lying in her bed with eyes closed and listening to the voices of what felt like a thousand people to her.

"Would you like a glass of water? Or another blanket?" – asked King Simon restlessly from his wife.

"No, thanks." –answered the Queen patiently.

"How long does it take?" – came the next question from her assistant quickly followed by another one. – "When should I call the photographer and the Press Office?"

Helena sighed and she opened her eyes.

"I don't know how much time it will take, don't call any photographer or PR person before seven." – she said, then she explained. – "Trust me, nothing will happen until morning."

"At least, can I get a hint on the baby's sex?" – continued Rachel. – "We should choose the colour of the paper for the announcement on the gates."

Suddenly Robert's nanny appeared in the room.

"Your Majesty, would you like me to wake up Prince Robert?"

"I can't get a hint on the gender because I don't know it either. Print three copies of the announcement: one in pink, one in blue and one in yellow, just in case." – she answered, then she turned to the nanny. – "It's absolutely unnecessary to wake up Robert and it's a lame excuse for you to be here. Walk away!"

"Do you have a name yet?" – asked Rachel again.

The Queen shook her head.

"No, we don't."

The assistant got out her notebook and crossed out a couple of questions on her list, but she still had some more.

"Do you want to notify the Grand Duchess of Oxford?"

"After seven." – replied Helena who decided to put an end to that charade. – "And Rachel, if you have further questions, consult with one of the doctors. And you two, give Rachel any information she needs. Now, all of you who don't have a diploma in healthcare, get out!"

"Breathe, my love, don't upset yourself." – said the King, who tried to calm his wife down.

"You too, Simon!" – shouted the Queen, then she continued in a kinder tone. – "It's the middle of the night, why don't you go back to sleep? I have already told a maid to make up the bed in a guest bedroom."

"But if you need anything… I want to be here with you." – protested King Simon.

Helena smiled at him.

"I have two doctors and three midwives, they can take care of me. There is nothing you can do. Why don't you let me do my job and when you wake up, I will be here with two amazing gifts for you." – she said with a bit overacted patience in her voice.

"You talk to me as if I was Robert." – remarked the King.

"Just because you act like him." – came the quick response from the Queen.

Simon finally gave up and went toward the door. He turned back to his wife:

"I love you."

"I love you too." – she echoed his words.

The King made one last attempt to change Helena's mind.

"Are you sure you don't want me...?" – he asked hopefully, but the Queen shook her head.

"Yes. Just go. Sleep well!"

* * *

When eight hours later King Simon returned to his wife's bedroom, he found her crying along with their two newborn babies. He rushed to her side immediately.

"What happened? Is something wrong? Are they…?"

"No, no, they are fine, I'm sorry." – replied Helena quickly after she looked up at him and saw the worried look in his eyes. – "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"What is it then?" – asked Simon gently.

Helena shook her head and wiped away her tears.

"Nothing… I don't know… I'm sorry." – she finally said.

The King couldn't wait anymore to find out the gender of the twins.

"So?" – he asked excitedly.

"One little prince and one little princess." – replied Helena proudly.

She put their daughter into her husband's arms and she picked up their son. They were looking at them for a while silently, then Simon finally spoke.

"They are beautiful like you. And you are amazing. Again, I can't thank you enough." – he said in a voice full of emotions.

"Well, you were needed for this too." – Helena replied and they exchanged a long kiss.

She didn't know what happened to her, but her tears started to flow again.

They heard a firm knock on the door.

"Come in." – answered the Queen and tried to wipe away her tears.

"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" – asked her assistant who stopped uncertainly at the door.

Helena waved her hand.

"Yes, Rachel, I'm fine."

"Congratulations!" – the assistant finally said after an awkward silence.

"Thank you!" – replied the King and the Queen at the same time.

After another uncomfortable pause, Rachel suddenly remembered why she came.

"Can I ask for the makeup artist and the photographer?"

"Give us five more minutes." – said Queen Helena with a resigned sigh.

"And tell someone to bring in our son, please." – added Simon.

Helena realized that the first time in his life she totally forgot about Robert.

"Yes, Robert, of course." – she mumbled

"You just gave birth. What is a photographer even doing here? Did my mother call him?" – asked the King furiously.

"No, it was me." – replied the Queen in a natural voice. – "They are the royal babies. The people have a right to see them. We will sell the pictures to the highest bidder magazine and then donate the money for charity."

The King didn't seem convinced.

"It's for a good cause, Simon." – added Helena and she was about to lie back on her pillow cuddling her son when she realized that Rachel is still in the room. – "Is there anything else?"

Her assistant wasn't sure if she had the right to say something like this to the Queen. She hesitated a bit before she started to speak.

"Things are crazy out there. Everybody wants to see the twins and the Queen. The phones are ringing since the moment they were born. They want articles, tv interviews, party invitations… We are go… You are going to be busier than ever, Your Majesty. You should use wisely your two weeks leave."

"I will. Thank you, Rachel." – nodded Helena who was touched by her assistant's words.

* * *

It was easier said than done. Five days later the Queen's new stylist arrived from France and the vacation was officially over. Helena and Simon were watching a photo in the newspaper which was taken of their family on the day of the twins' birth. On the picture the Queen sat in her bed with Prince Robert in her lap and together they held the infant Princess while her twin brother lay in the King's arms next to them.

"This is a nice picture, I like it." – remarked Helena.

Her husband agreed.

"Yes, that guy has talent."

"We should give him a medal or something." – added the Queen.

The King gently took the paper from her and grabbed her hands.

"We have to come up with names. We can't defer it forever."

"I know." – said Helena nervously and she downcast her eyes. Then, something came into her mind. – "Listen, I have an idea. Why don't you name her and I name him?"

Simon was surprised, but he accepted the challenge.

"Okay. Deadline?" – he asked quickly.

"24 hours." – came the answer.

"How many vetoes?"

Helena raised her fist to her mouth like she was thinking.

"None."

"None?" – repeated Simon, who was stunned. – "You like to play dangerously."

"Or I simply trust you." – his wife answered and put her arms around him.

The King returned her gesture.

"Can I trust you?"

"You will see." – she said with a strange smile and she kissed him.

Rachel walked into the room.

"The stylist and his assistant are here."

"I'll be there in a minute. What happened to my two weeks leave of absence?!" – asked Helena the theoretical question.

"The twins were born three weeks earlier." – replied her assistant willingly. – "We thought that you would be still pregnant by now when I made the appointment with him. And you never cancelled it."

"Right, it is my fault." – the Queen said ironically and she rolled her eyes.

As they walked out of the room and headed to the dressing room, Helena turned to her assistant:

"I need a list of all the male names which you will read out loud to me with the prefix 'Prince' in the next few hours."

"That is a lot of names, Your Majesty." – complained Rachel.

Helena smiled at her scornfully.

"Thank God, we spend so much time together, hopefully you will have time to finish the alphabet."

* * *

The word famous stylist, Maurice Lemonte and his assistant were already waiting for the Queen in the dressing room with a rack of clothes. Helena tried them on, one after the other and she was looking doubtingly at her image in the mirror:

"I don't know… I mean it's nice, but nothing like me. It's just not my style.

In the meantime, Rachel recited baby names without a break in the Queen's ears.

" _Prince Abel_ … _Prince Adam… Prince Aden… Prince Adonis…"_

"Mais c'est incroyable! That's why we are here, to create for you a new one." – replied the stylist who was rather annoyed by opinionated clients.

"I like my current look." – continued Helena who wasn't aware of the extent of the man's anger towards her. – "Not that I invented it, but I like it. And the people seem to like it."

„… _Prince Brandon… Prince Byron… Prince Caleb… Prince Christopher…"_ – chanted Rachel tirelessly.

Monsieur Lemonte waved with his hand irritably and added:

"Yes, yes, yes… we got it. The whole people's princess thing was great! You were très jolie… very cute. We loved your floral dresses… your wispy bangs… the bracelet made by Prince Robert…"

"So what is the problem?" – asked Helena impatiently.

"What is the problem, what is the problem?" – repeated his stylist. – "Honey, you are a queen now. The Queen. You need to look regal… You need to wear more serious, more elegant clothes… and expensive jewels. I want a shorter hair, with no bangs and a more intensive makeup."

Queen Helena didn't answer immediately, she had to process what she heard. Rachel's voice broke the silence as she continued with the names:

"… _Prince Damian… Prince Dudley… Prince Edmund…"_

"Maybe you are right, but it is a big change, I don't know if…" – she said finally trying to speak louder than her assistant.

"… _Prince Ferdinand… Prince Francis… Prince Geoffrey… Prince Guy… Prince Hector…"_

"Maybe… I don't know…" – whined the Frenchman imitating Helena's voice. Then, he added more seriously: – "Of course I'm right. I made a fortune because I'm always right. You are a mother of three. You were a sweet young princess, a real daddy's little girl, but now I will bring the queen out of you."

"What did you say?" – the Queen snapped at him after she heard his insult.

The stylist didn't see the storm coming and he carried on with his impertinent manner:

"Yes, yes, we need a queen, not a schoolboy's fantasy."

"Excuse me?!" – Helena was speechless for a moment. Then, she found her voice. – "You want a queen? Fine. Then you shall have it. You are fired."

Maurice Lemonte looked at the Queen in shock.

"What? You can't do this to me…" – he shouted while the palace security escorted him out. – "I'm famous… I'm the best stylist in the world!"

Rachel seemed to ignore the recent events and focused on her own job:

"… _Prince Henry… Prince Horace… Prince Hugo…"_

The stylist's assistant, a young man who stood silently in the corner in the past hour, was about to follow his master, but Helena stopped him.

"Wait! You, stay! Do you think the same?"

"… _Prince Isaac… Prince Jagger…"_ – recited Rachel.

"Well, I… I think that you should consider a more serious look, Your Majesty, because you are now the first woman in England, which means that you represent our whole country…" – replied the boy shyly.

The Queen nodded and smiled at him sadly.

"Fine. If you feel that way too, I don't resist anymore."

"…but I also think that you are a young woman." – he finished his sentence. – "A young woman who can inspire other women. You may can't make as bold dress choices as you desire, but you can always show the people that you deeply care about fashion. You can support the young British designers for example."

"… _Prince Karl… Prince Kevin… Prince Lancelot… Prince Liam… Prince Mark…"_ – they heard Rachel's monotone voice.

"How?" – asked Queen Helena curiously.

" _Prince Matthias… Prince Nelson…_ Fashion week is in two months." – remarked Rachel between two baby names.

"You can stop with the names I already chose one." – said the Queen, then she added: – "Fashion week is the Queen Mother's charity. She will never give it to me."

"Unless you take it." – cut in Rachel.

Helena hesitated for a while, then she came up with the perfect idea.

"Yes, I can take it and do so much more. I'm going to stage a fashion show, right here, in the Palace!"

* * *

The next morning, the King and the Queen were in the garden drinking tea and preparing for their big announcement.

"You first." – said Simon quickly.

"No, _you_ first." – replied his wife.

The King sighed with excitement.

"Okay, but you can't say anything."

"I know." – nodded the Queen who remembered very well her own rules. – "Whatever you say now is going to be our daughter's name."

He leaned to her and whispered in her ear.

"Eleanor."

Helena let out a relieved sigh.

"Very regal. Princess Eleanor… Queen Eleanor…" – she said, trying to get used to the name. – "I like it. It is a beautiful name."

"Thank you." – answered her husband, who was also relieved. – "Now I want to hear yours."

The Queen was already smiling. Her name choice wasn't a very traditional one. She couldn't wait to see Simon's reaction.

"Liam." – she said as if it was the most common name in the history of the royal family.

"Liam? Wow, it's very… original. And Irish…" – started the King and Helena saw that it was a complete surprise for him. After a short pause, he added: – "You know what? I like it."

His wife smiled at him and she said joyfully:

"Me too. Thank God, we didn't choose from those horrible alliterative twin names. Prince Liam and Princess Eleanor. Perfect."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

 **A.N. Thank you for reading, following and writing reviews, I really appreciate it and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. :)**

* * *

King Simon and his brother, Prince Cyrus were sitting at the breakfast table and talking about the events of the ongoing Bosnian War.

"I don't see the point of sending troops there if they can't fight." – remarked Cyrus and took a sip of his coffee.

"Our soldiers are there in order to make peace." – answered the King.

His brother snorted with disdain.

"They shot our airplane. Apparently, they don't want this peace as much as we do."

Simon wanted to react, but his wife entered the room and her presence distracted the conversation. That was the day of her first public appearance since the birth of the twins and also the debut of her new style. The King was speechless when he saw her, he barely recognized her. She used to put on colourful and floral clothes with simple accessories, but now she was wearing a pale peach dress with an enormous diamond necklace and earrings.

"You hate it, right?" – Helena asked as she walked to the table and stopped before her husband.

"No… You look beautiful, it's just… it's not you." – stuttered the King who didn't want to hurt his wife.

The Queen doesn't seem to care much about it as she replied in a bored tone.

"Why should it be me? I'm the Queen of England. I have to radiate elegance and glamour."

"Well, it's certainly very queen-like." – said Simon trying to cheer her up a bit.

"Enjoy your life as the newest addition to the Royal Family Museum." – added Cyrus.

Helena rolled her eyes and sat at the table.

"So what did you talk about?" – she asked to change the subject.

"War." – mumbled his brother-in-law with his mouth full.

"Ah! I don't understand why we have to involve in this… local conflict. It has nothing to do with us. We should let them solve their own problems." – the Queen expounded her opinion.

"Then, it's not your lucky day, my love. We are going to send there more troops." – remarked her husband with a smile.

Queen Helena almost dropped her teaspoon as she thought about Alistair who somehow stayed out of this war until now. She was now afraid that this luck may have ended. However, she managed to remain calm.

"When?"

"On Monday." – came the answer from Cyrus.

Helena couldn't stop thinking about Alistair. She remembered her last encounter with him almost a year ago and she was worried about what another deployment would do to him. She knew she had to at least talk to him before letting him go.

"I will give a garden party tomorrow to honour our troops." – announced the Queen after a moment of thinking.

"Tomorrow?" – asked the King surprised. – "Isn't it a bit sudden? Besides, I thought you were against our involvement in the war."

"This was my personal opinion. As the Queen of England I must support our soldiers." – replied Helena without batting an eye. – "As for the time frame, don't you remember Cyrus's engagement party? I had only ten hours to organize it."

"Yeah. Even that was longer than the marriage itself." – remarked his brother-in-law.

The Queen gave a meaningful look to Cyrus and said:

"Tomorrow will be a great opportunity. It may be a smaller event, but I bet that everybody, especially our journalist friends will be very interested."

Rachel came into the room to inform the Queen of her mother's arrival.

"Perfect! I have exactly ten minutes for her." – Helena replied and followed her assistant out of the dining room.

* * *

"Mother! How was your journey?" – asked Helena as she kissed her mother on the cheek.

"Long." – replied the Duchess in a sarcastic tone. – "Let's hope it is worth it."

The Queen forced herself a polite smile and she opened the double doors of the nursery before her mother. They quietly admired the sleeping twins for a while then the Queen broke the silence.

"How is Father?"

"The same, Helena, you know that." – came the resentful answer from the Duchess of Oxford who seemed very annoyed by this question. – "That stroke trapped him in his own body forever. And as for me, it trapped me in a marriage with a vegetable."

"Mother, please!" – cried out Helena and she raised her hand before her mouth. She quickly turned away when she felt that tears began to form in the corner of her eyes.

"What is wrong with you?" – asked her mother more confused than worried as she stepped toward her. – "Oh come on, you won't cry, will you?"

The Queen felt embarrassed in front of her mother. However, she managed to calm herself down and continue to speak in a firm voice.

"No, I'm fine. It's just lately I have sometimes this feeling to cry, but I can control it. You taught me very well how to restrain my feelings."

The Duchess looked at her suspiciously.

"I'm glad I did." – she finally said.

Princess Eleanor woke up and Helena was about to take her out of the crib, but her mother was faster than her.

"You are the Queen of England, you can't afford that people see you like that." – continued the Duchess while she was rocking her granddaughter in her arms. – "Besides, why on earth would you be sad? You are rich, young, beautiful and you just had such lovely babies!"

Helena was surprised by the sudden affection that her mother showed toward the twins. She was never that kind neither to Robert nor to her when she was a child.

"Aren't you a beautiful little Princess?" – babbled the Grand Duchess to Eleanor. – "Yes, you are. I'm your grandmother."

The Queen had to smile as she saw her mother talking like this for the first time.

"You didn't pierce her ears yet." – remarked Lady Alexandra addressing her words to her daughter this time.

"Sorry, I didn't have time for it." – replied Helena without any sarcasm.

The Duchess didn't take her eyes off of her granddaughter as she said:

"Well, let me know if you did. I want to buy her first diamonds." – Then she added. – "I never thought that you would have twins. I don't appreciate that you didn't tell me, but it was a pleasant surprise. It's so strange… We never had twins in our family and I don't recall any in the history of the royal family. Well, maybe in the side branch…"

"Keep your voice down!" – Helena suddenly snapped at her mother. – "Walls have ears in this palace. If you are suggesting something like this…"

"I'm not suggesting anything." – answered the Duchess and she seemed truly confused.

However, her daughter didn't believe her.

"Of course you are." – hissed the Queen.

"I'm not. Why would I?" – asked Alexandra innocently because it made no sense why Helena would be so frightened by her words. Then she realized. – "Unless they are… Helena?!"

"No!" – cried her daughter indignantly.

The Duchess couldn't retain her smile at the thought that Helena finally turned out like her cheating mother.

"It doesn't matter." – she said almost happily. – "At least as long as you keep your mouth shut."

With that last sentence the Duchess considered the topic closed and she put Eleanor back to her cradle.

As her sister fell asleep, Liam finally woke up and started to cry. His bottle was already prepared on the table by his nanny. Helena covered her expensive dress with a blanket and picked up her son. She sat on the sofa and gave him the bottle, but he didn't accept. Despite his mother's best efforts, he continued to cry even louder.

"Oh for Christ's sake, Helena! We don't have to listen to that. Just call his nanny." – cried the Duchess.

"Do you think that I can't do that?" – her daughter asked angrily thinking that she was being attacked. – "I fed Robert countless times."

The Duchess sighed and theatrically shut her ears.

"You are nervous and you are making him nervous too." – she complained, then she added. – "Animals, children… they can sense these things."

"You know what? Call the nanny or do whatever you want, I have to go anyway." – hissed the Queen angrily and put Liam and the bottle in her mother's arm.

"Where are you going?" – asked the surprised Duchess.

"To the Farmer's Market." – came the answer.

Lady Alexandra shook her head in disappointment.

"I always knew that you are a peasant deep inside."

"It is one of my charities." – answered Helena and she raised her gaze to the ceiling. – "And yes, God forbid, I actually enjoy it."

She almost left the room, but she heard her mother calling after her.

"He already looks very much like Simon." – said the Duchess, who was still holding her grandson in her arms.

The Queen was stunned by the sudden kindness.

"Thank you!" – she replied with a relieved smile.

* * *

Lady Alexandra didn't find the nanny, so she had no choice, but to stay in the room and trying to make her grandson stop crying. When the King entered the nursery, she was as shocked as his wife earlier at the sight of his mother-in-law with a baby.

"Thank God!" – sighed the Duchess as she saw King Simon. – "Here, take him. I got a migraine."

Simon took Liam in his arms and started to rock him gently. There was an awkward silence between the two of them after the baby finally stopped crying.

"How do you like your new castle?" – asked the King to break the ice.

The Duchess laughed at him scornfully.

"Like you care. You enjoy that you got rid of me."

"It was your choice, Alexandra. But you are right. Our life is easier since you are not here."

"Yours, maybe, but Helena needs me." – replied Lady Alexandra. – "She starts making mistakes when I'm not around. You will see."

"She is a good mother, a good queen… and she is happier than ever." – retorted the King to defend his Queen.

His mother-in-law just shrugged her shoulders.

"As you wish." – she said with ease.

"What is that supposed to mean?" – Simon snapped at her.

"Nothing." – came the answer. – "You are her husband, you probably know better."

The King knew that the Duchess wasn't serious and she only wanted to mock him, but he decided to let it go.

"I saw your footmen. Very impressive. And you have a hatchment." – he continued with a smile.

"I try to live up to my title. I never did anything halfway in my life. Look at me how far it got me. I'm the Grand Duchess of Oxford, thanks to you and my daughter is the Queen of England." – replied Lady Alexandra and her words sounded a bit threatening for a moment, even for a King.

Simon wasn't sure how to react to that, he finally ended up saying:

"And I'm thankful for your daughter every day."

"I'm glad to hear that. I worked for that very hard." – remarked the Duchess.

Now the King was the one to mock his mother-in-law.

"I know. I love her _despite_ the fact that you brought her up.

* * *

Helena didn't leave straight for the Farmers Market after her meeting with her mother. Instead of that, she went back to her room and quickly scratched a note:

" _Dearest Alistair! I know that I didn't respond well to our last encounter and I feel terrible for it. Letting you down and betraying you with my silence is unforgivable. Despite everything you must think of me now, I still care about you deeply, and please, please, please come to my garden party tomorrow, if not for my sake, then for the sake of that young girl who still kept your engagement ring…"_

Her eyes skimmed through the words of her letter, then she quickly put it in an envelope. Before she closed and sealed it with the royal stamp, she picked up a little white pebble from the drawer of her bedside table and dropped it in the envelope as well. She took a deep breath and called Rachel.

"I need you to do something for me." – she started when her assistant came in.

"Of course, Your Majesty. Is this about the garden party?" – asked Rachel.

"No. It's something… personal." – answered the Queen and she looked down at the envelope in her hands. – "I need to know if I can trust you completely."

Rachel replied without any hesitation.

"You can. I think I proved my reliability and discretion toward you many times."

Queen Helena smiled dimly as she thought back to the memory of her coronation. She hesitated for a moment, then she finally gave the letter to Rachel.

"I didn't sign it..." – the Queen remarked. – "… but this letter could destroy me. Make sure that only the recipient reads it and that he burns it right after that."

"You can count on me." – answered Rachel firmly.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Queen Helena and the majority of the Palace staff slept less than four hours that night, but it was worth it. The garden party seemed to be a great success. The King and the Queen were walking among the guests to greet them properly and to talk a few words with everyone. They were about to say some welcoming words to an injured lieutenant, when they heard a female voice behind their back:

"Helena!" – cried the woman.

They both turned around to see the owner of the voice.

"Emma Kensington! Finally! When was the last time?" – asked Helena as she hugged her friend.

"Your Majesty!" – bowed Emma before the King.

"Emma, please." – said Simon and kissed her on the cheek. – "Helena is right. We haven't seen you since your wedding. Where have you been?"

"Three months honeymoon, two months travelling on my own… I made amazing shots in Kenya." – replied Emma proudly as she waved her professional camera before them. This gesture left her body unprotected and revealed her rounded belly under her tight gown. It didn't escape the Queen's attention.

"You are pregnant!" – she cried joyfully.

Emma Kensington smiled at her secretively.

The Queen looked at her husband, then she looked back to her friend happily.

"Congratulations! How far along are you? You have to tell me everything." – she demanded.

"Four months… It is a girl… and we will call her Gemma." – answered Emma giggling and she put her hand on her stomach.

King Simon looked at his wife teasingly and he said:

"See? Someone could choose a name five months in advance."

Helena playfully punched him in the shoulder, then she turned to her friend.

"You must see the twins. Will you excuse us, darling?"

"Of course. Have fun!" – said the King and he let them go.

* * *

"This is Liam…" – started the Queen as she leaned over his son's crib. – "He is sleeping… as always. I actually called the doctor yesterday and I said to him that this can't be normal for a baby to sleep all day… But he told me that it's all right, so…"

She didn't finish her sentence, she stepped to the other crib.

The little Princess smiled at her and clapped her tiny hands together in joy. Helena smiled back at the baby and picked her up.

"I'm glad to see you too, Eleanor." – she said happily and she kissed her daughter.

Emma quickly pulled out her camera and shouted at the Queen.

"Don't move!"

Helena obeyed and waited patiently with the little Princess in her arms until Emma took the picture.

"Perfect!" – stated Lady Kensington contentedly. – "Would you mind if I used it in my exhibition?"

"Not at all." – replied the Queen and she sighed with joy. – "I can't wait that they can play together with your daughter."

"Me too." – agreed Emma. – "It was so silly of me to be jealous of you when Simon chose you. I just wanted him so much. But why…?"

Helena didn't want to talk about that and she wasn't sure what to say.

"Every girl on that list wanted to get him… It was a cruel game." – she said quietly lost in thoughts as she gently put Eleanor back into her crib and walked toward the window.

She had to return to reality soon as Rachel entered the nursery.

"Your Majesty, General Gladwyn has arrived."

"Thank you, Rachel." – nodded the Queen, then turned back to her friend. – "I'm sorry. Duty calls. Rachel will escort you back."

Of course, there was no General Gladwyn on the guest list, which could only mean one thing. Alistair decided to come to the party. As she hurried out from the room, Rachel slipped unnoticedly a piece of paper into her hand. When the door was closed behind her, she quickly read the message. It was only one word.

" _Stables._ "

* * *

Helena's heart started to beat faster as she reached her destination and sneaked into the stables. Alistair had his back to her when she entered as he was stroking her horse's head.

"I see you got acquainted with Hyppolita." – said the Queen to draw his attention to her.

Alistair turned to her as he replied:

"She seems very placid, not like Bonnie. She won't throw you off. She is a good girl."

"She is." – agreed Helena and she smiled at the reassuring thought that he still cared about her.

Alistair looked at the Queen expectantly. She looked back at him, but she wasn't sure how to begin. She knew, however, that there was not much time to lose.

From the distance they heard the sound of the military parade in the garden.

"Are you going to leave with them?" – Helena finally asked.

Captain Lacey expected this question and it confirmed his suspicion regarding the purpose of the Queen's invitation.

"Yes." – he answered coldly. – "They are my unit. I thought this is what you are celebrating today."

Helena saw the hatred in his eyes, just like the last time and it frightened her.

"I wanted to see you." – she said quietly.

"I bet you did." – snorted her ex-lover. – "It's always about you. You want to see me, then you don't. Then it starts again. What do you want, Helena?"

The Queen looked around nervously worrying that someone might hear them.

"I don't want you to leave." – she sighed. – "I saw what the war did to you the last time and I don't think that it would be good for you to go back to another one."

It seemed that Alistair softened towards her.

"Maybe you are right, but this is my job, Hellie, my career, my life… I don't have anything else. If I stay… what can you offer?"

"Me." – Helena answered without realizing what her words really meant.

"What if it's not enough?" – he asked back.

It was the Queen's turn to be angry.

"It should be more than bombs… and dead bodies… and a constant reminder of your lost friend…" – she hissed.

Their eyes locked for a while and she was about to kiss him when he suddenly began to speak.

"I saw you with Lady Kensington. You laughed and held each other's hand as you walked into the Palace together…"

Queen Helena didn't know where he was getting to and she willingly walked into his trap.

"She is a good friend of mine. I showed her the children."

Alistair smiled at him bitterly.

"Can you offer me this? Kissing me, holding my hand, introducing me to your children…"

"My children?" – asked back Helena in shock and she gulped before she continued. – "What dou you want with them?"

"Nothing." – came the simple answer. – "It's just… Your family, your friends, they are a part of your life in a way I never will be."

The Queen stepped closer to her ex-lover and gently caressed his cheek.

"I know it's not fair. I can only promise you lies and hiding, but we are used to it. In my father's house… It wasn't ideal, but you were happy with me. You can be happy again."

"Prove it." – demanded Alistair.

Helena hesitated for a moment. She looked around again, this time more thoroughly than before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and she started to sing. It almost sounded like she was whispering.

" _Take… my… hand… Take my whole… life… too… For I… can't… help… falling in love… with… you_."

"That was terrible." – remarked Captain Lacey and he laughed at her.

"I have a terrible voice, I know, but thank you." – said the Queen in mock hurt. – "My voice is not the point. Do you remember when my mother used to listen to this song?"

"I remember." – he replied with a big smile.

"She was always drunk and cursed the men in her life… And we were standing under her window and…"

Helena let him finish her sentence.

"… and I said that I should marry you before you turn into her. Then you picked the ' _rings'_ and I proposed."

With these last words Alistair leaned to her and finally kissed her. It was nothing like the last time he kissed her with his lips shaking and wet from tears, it was much like their first kiss: long and passionate.

"I want my ring back." – said Helena after she composed herself.

"You can get it back the next time we wil see each other." – Alistair replied and kissed her again.

This time however, they were interrupted by Rachel's arrival.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Prince Cyrus's journalist friend wants to leave. I couldn't convince him to wait a little longer. If you want to talk to him, you should come now."

Helena looked at her, then back to her lover.

"We have to be very careful. Even more careful than in my father's house. Let me call you when it's safe. I know what you think, but I _will_ call you, I promise." – she said and left him alone in the barn.

* * *

"Mr. Stanton! I'm sorry to keep you waiting." – started the Queen as she saw the journalist friend of her brother-in-law at the bar.

The journalist hated the unnecessary politeness circles so he cut straight to the chase.

"What can I do for you, Your Majesty?"

"Walk with me!" – answered the Queen.

When they got far enough from the crowd, she continued.

"My request is simple. You are a journalist, I'm the Queen of England. Write an article about me."

The man nodded knowingly.

"I suppose you have some ideas about the content of this article."

"Just a few." – replied Helena jauntily. – "You see, being the Queen of England puts a lot of pressure on the person who bears that title. For an older woman who celebrates her sixtieth birthday next month, it must be a tiring burden. Don't we agree?"

"We do, but I don't understand what is your point. The Queen Mother is no longer queen." – answered the confused Mr. Stanton.

"Exactly. I just want you to write this down. Well, of course it wouldn't be a very exciting article, would it?" – remarked Queen Helena. – "You may need some colourful details. Let's say that the Queen Mother trusted me to take over some of her charities. For example... the Fashion Week."

The journalist looked surprised at the Queen.

"Is this true?"

"Not yet." – she replied. – "But you help me make it true. There is something else. Obviously, I would never tell you this, but in front of a good journalist nothing can remain hidden: as the opening of the Fashion Week I will host a fashion show in the Palace."

"That would certainly be enough for the front page, but… what do I get in return?" – asked the reporter eagerly.

Helena was prepared for this situation.

"You wouldn't be a friend of Cyrus if you didn't want something. I can give you an insight into the preparations of my fashion show. Exclusive interviews with the designers, photos of the dresses…"

"I need more." – said the journalist firmly.

"More?" – asked Queen Helena in shock because she felt that her offer was more than generous.

"If my calculation is correct, Prince Robert starts kindergarten in the fall." – started Mr. Stanton. – "I want to be there on his first day. From the moment he gets up in the morning, until he comes home and goes to bed."

Helena let out a nervous sigh before she answered.

"I don't think that it would be very interesting to you. He is an ordinary three year old child, spending the whole day with him would must be boring for you and your readers."

The reporter laughed at her mischievously.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, you are lying. You know that my readers would kill for an article like this. You just don't feel comfortable selling your own son."

"There must be something else you want…" – she protested weakly.

The man next to her shook his head.

"This is my price. This is the price of becoming a Queen. Cheers!" – he said, raising his glass at her and he emptied his drink.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The next day Helena decided to celebrate her little victory and spend the morning outside in the gardens with her children. She put on a huge white hat, then she picked up Robert and ordered the nannies to bring the twins after them. However, her brother-in-law stopped them at the top of the stairs.

"Who is it if not my favourite sister-in-law?" – started Cyrus sweetly, then he added more seriously. – "Robert!"

"Uncle Cyrus." – the little boy returned his greeting in the same tone.

Helena shook her head as a sign of disapproval.

"She is mad, isn't she?"

"Who?" – asked Cyrus as if he didn't know who she talked about.

"Your mother." – answered the Queen and she rolled her eyes.

Her brother-in-law smiled at her super-satisfied.

"Furious."

"You shouldn't enjoy this so much." – sighed Helena. – "Now cover for me, I don't want to meet her. Come on, Robert."

She grabbed her son's hand and she was about to make her way out of the Palace, but it was too late. Suddenly the Queen Mother showed up at the bottom of the stairs.

"Good luck!" – said Cyrus happily and he disappeared as fast as he could.

* * *

The Queen thought about running away as well and she slowly began to back away from the stairs, but Robert sabotaged her plan. He pulled his hand out of hers and ran down to his grandmother.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Helena!" – cried the Queen Mother when she finally reached the top of the stairs.

"Good morning to you too, Gloria!" – said Helena, trying to strike a friendly tone, though she knew that it was pointless. – "Robert and I just headed out for a stroll with the twins, can't we talk later?"

"How could you do this?" – shouted Queen Gloria furiously.

Helena looked nervously at Robert, who was playing with and under her skirt.

"Please, Gloria, not in front of the child." – she warned her mother-in-law.

The Queen Mother ignored her words and continued in the same voice.

"If you wanted Fashion Week so much, why didn't you ask for it?"

Her daughter-in-law snorted in disdain.

"Because you would have given it to me just like that. We both know you wouldn't."

"So you went behind my back." – the Dowager Queen drew the conclusion.

"So I went behind your back." – echoed Queen Helena then she added hypocritically. – "Why does it bother you so much? You don't even care about fashion."

"You treacherous snake!" – cried the old queen.

All three of them stopped for a moment. Helena saw the confused look on her son's face so she bent down to him and asked in a joking tone:

"What does the snake say, Robert?"

"Sssss." – hissed the little Prince happily.

Queen Gloria sighed tiredly.

"Very funny." – she said sarcastically. – "I know that Cyrus is helping you, but you won't get away with this. You are choosing the wrong brother."

"I don't know what you are talking about." – answered Helena innocently.

Her mother-in-law raised her index finger as a sign of warning.

"Be careful Helena, it could cost you everything."

"Is this a threat?" – asked back the younger queen and she took a step closer to her.

"I love both of my sons, but I never hid the fact that Simon is my favourite." – explained Gloria. – "I would even let him marry for love. That girl, Dominique wasn't my first choice, but he loved her so I gave them my blessing. Frankly, I was a bit relieved when she died, although I didn't believe for a minute that it was an accident. Anyway, she was a very headstrong girl. Nothing was good enough for her. She wanted to change everything… this palace, England, the whole world. After she died, I wanted to make sure that I don't make the same mistake again. So I made a list of possible girls for Simon, all very young, obedient, impressionable and they all had a great deal to lose."

Little Robert got bored and he tugged at his mother's skirt.

"Mommy, can we go now?" – he asked impatiently.

"Just a minute, darling." – replied the Queen and she stroked his hair. – "Your grandmother is telling a long tale, let's hope she is getting to the point soon."

The Queen Mother looked at her angrily and she continued her speech.

"The point is that we paid a rather large amount of money for you after the wedding that you never paid back. Your father wanted to, but his illness prevented him from doing that and since then your family's whole living depends on the Crown."

"I'm well aware of that." – remarked Helena with ease.

Queen Gloria nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. Then you understand that it's better if the King doesn't find out that you are not the blushing girl he thinks you are, but a petty liar, who is plotting against his beloved mother."

Helena was ready for a counterattack, but the sudden appearance of her husband stopped her before she could answer.

"What is going on here?" – asked King Simon. – "The whole palace resounds from you."

"Nothing unusual. Your mother is yelling at me in front of Robert." – answered Queen Helena willingly.

The King looked at his mother in disappointment.

"Is this about that stupid article?" – he sighed resignedly.

His mother didn't want to give up so easily and started to defend herself.

"Your lovely wife did it. She wanted the Fashion Week, she wants all my charities…"

"Stop it, Mum!" – cried Simon then he turned to his wife. – "Is this true?"

Helena decided to give the innocent. She knew that her mother-in-law was wrong about Simon's perception of her and he certainly did not see her as a 'blushing young girl', so she had no choice but to deny completely.

"No, it wasn't me…" – she started – "It's true that I spoke to a journalist, but I didn't say anything. He may have mentioned a spreading rumour about the Queen Mother's retirement, which I denied of course and that was it. Unfortunately, the Fashion Show wasn't my idea, he completely made that up, though I think it would be great."

"A Fashion Show in the Palace, it is ridiculous… I release a statement and I deny this whole nonsense." – said Queen Gloria firmly.

"So there is no problem." – concluded the King and he smiled at the two women.

His wife looked at him desperately, but luckily the next moment her assistant rushed over to them.

"Actually, Your Majesties…" – she started breathless.

"What is it, Rachel?" – asked King Simon.

Rachel waited until her breathing returned to normal, then she continued:

"I just talked to at least twenty fashion designers including Alexander McQueen and Norman Hartnell in the last hour who all wanted to know if they can be part of the Queen's Fashion Show. It is all over the news now."

"She is bluffing." – snorted the Queen Mother simply.

At that moment her other son, Prince Cyrus approached them and confirmed the words of the assistant.

"She is not. Turn on the TV. The BBC claims that they bought the exclusive rights to broadcast the event."

"It's not possible…" – stammered the defeated Queen Gloria. – "The BBC wouldn't risk telling a lie like this. Their reputation is on the stake. It doesn't make any sense."

None of them wanted to say it out loud so Cyrus stated the obvious.

"At this point we can't do anything, but confirm this rumour."

"Are you sure you can do this?" – the King asked his wife and since she silently nodded in agreement, he turned to the Queen Mother. – "I'm sorry, Mum."

The conversation was officially over. King Simon pulled his brother aside to talk to him about another urgent matter, while their mother used the opportunity to humiliate Helena again.

"You can't stage a Fashion Show." – she said. – "You haven't got any talent or experience. You are young and pretty, prettier than that Dominique girl, I admit it, but that's all you have. You will fail."

Queen Helena didn't let herself intimidated by her mother-in-law.

"Do you know what makes a _backup_ like me so dangerous? She learns all the roles by heart so she could take anyone's place." – she said, then she walked away with her son.

* * *

Before getting outside, the Queen beckoned Rachel.

"Where have you been?" – she hissed angrily when they were far enough from the others. – "If Gloria released that statement, all our work would have been for nothing."

"You don't know?" – she asked in surprise.

Helena shook her head.

"What?"

"She did write a statement this morning that she gave to the BBC." – she said with great emphasis. – "I had to improvise and convince them that it's better for them if this Fashion Show becomes a reality than if it's not."

"That's why they say that they got the broadcast rights." – remarked the Queen after putting the pieces together.

"Because they did." – her assistant confirmed proudly.

"Then we'd better get started to organize that fashion show." – cried Helena excitedly and the two women smiled at each other.

* * *

Once they were out in the gardens and the nannies brought the twins as well, Helena sat down under a big tree with Robert.

"Can we take them out?" – asked the three-year-old and he ran excitedly to the union jack double stroller.

"Of course, just let me help you." – his mother hurried after him when she realized that Robert was trying to take the babies out on his own.

Eleanor and Liam weren't too happy about the intervention, especially after they were placed on their stomach instead of their back.

"Sss… It's for your own sake." – tried the Queen, but it was pointless.

However, the presence of their big brother, who lay between them, quickly calmed the twins down.

"You are a natural." – said Helena in amazement to his son.

A little bit later she saw her husband approaching across the lawn.

"I'm so glad you could join us, darling!" – she cried and she gave him a deep kiss.

"Wow, you _are_ happy." – remarked the King, who was surprised by the passionate greeting.

The Queen playfully shrugged her shoulder.

"It's a beautiful day, I waited so long for the sun to come out."

"Do you mean for real or metaphorically?" – asked Simon suspiciously, but he also remained in a playful tone.

Helena who divided her attention between him and the children couldn't follow his thread.

"What?" – she asked indifferently while she managed to prevent her older son from feeding his sister with a dandelion.

"You wanted this Fashion Show." – continued the King. – "I saw it in your eyes. Do you have anything to do with it?"

"Do you really want to know?" – asked back the Queen innocently.

King Simon sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

"I know you deserve this. You are a professional when it comes to clothes, I realize it every time I wait hours for you to get dressed. But… there is no need to lie and scheme behind my back, Helena. I didn't know that being a queen means so much to you, but I will talk to my mother and we discuss her new status when I returned."

"Returned?" – his wife looked at him in surprise.

"The Canadian tour. I postponed it because of the birth of the twins, but I have to go now." – explained King Simon.

Helena placed her head on his shoulder as she asked:

"When?"

"In two weeks." – came the quick answer.

"I want to go with you." – sighed Queen Helena.

"You can't." – replied the King and he added. – "The people wouldn't approve if you left the babies for three weeks."

Helena knew that her husband didn't care about what the others thought about them. He only said that because he believed it was a convincing argument for her.

"It's not the people… You are the one who wouldn't approve." – she said resentfully.

Simon looked at her as if she was a child and he remarked with ease:

"We already discussed this. Besides, it lapsed anyway because of your Fashion Show."

"…which you will miss entirely." – the Queen added to his sentence.

"I will watch the broadcast wherever I will be by that time." – promised her husband, then he said: – "But I beg you, my love, don't argue with my mother."

"I can't promise anything." – Helena said phlegmatically. – "Don't you think that it would be better if she moved to one of the other palaces?"

King Simon shook his head.

"She is the Queen Mother, it's not that simple."

His wife pulled away from him.

"It's not that simple because she is _your_ mother."

"What?" – he asked in confusion.

"It wasn't so difficult for you to banish my mother." – Helena snapped at him.

The King didn't understand how they ended up talking about the Duchess, but he replied as honestly as he could.

"I assumed that you would be happy about it."

However, his innocent tone just made his wife even more angry.

"Because you just assume things and never bother to ask if you are right." – she shouted.

"You… You asked me to give her a title and an estate." – he shouted back.

Helena rolled her eyes.

"Yes, a small one with a holiday home."

"I'm sorry that I'm so generous with your family." – Simon replied in a sarcastic voice.

"Generous? Is that what you call generosity?" – asked Helena with a bitter laugh. – "You sent my mother away to the other end of the country while you don't let yours move into the house next door."

They both remained silent for a while. Simon was about to say something, but his son interrupted him. Until that moment Robert quietly watched his parents, but now he took advantage of the sudden silence.

"Can we see the little dogs now?" – he asked shyly.

Simon and Helena looked at each other, ashamed. They never fought in front of Robert before.

"What little dogs?" – asked Helena with a forced smile.

"Katie said that one dog had little dogs." – the Prince informed her.

The twins became fussy and simultaneously burst out crying. Their parents looked at them, then at each other and they said in the same time.

"I'll go."

"Why don't we find out whose dog it is?" – suggested Simon to avoid another quarrel and he turned to his son. – "Did Katie say which dog had little dogs?"

"Red." – came the firm answer.

"Ha-ha… She is one of my Irish Setters." – cried the Queen triumphantly. – "I'll go."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

 **A.N. Chapter Ten... I hope you are still here. This chapter is about the Fashion Show and it contains a little more description, so if you get bored, just skip those parts. ;) However, I felt it necessary because I wanted to show how Helena really becomes the Queen, not just by scheming, but actually doing something great.**

 **Cool Britannia was a real movement, though it didn't have much to do with the Royal Family. Check it out if you are interested, it has a rather thorough wikipedia site.**

 **After that, it's not so difficult to find out who was the inspiration behind the girl group in the last scene, but obviously, the characters are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.**

* * *

The Queen had troubles with sleeping since the day of the garden party. It only got worse when the King left for the Canadian tour.

She began to understand why Robert hated so much to sleep alone in his bed. Although he didn't have to deal with the planning of the biggest event of the year or a potential lover.

Alistair respected his part of the agreement and he didn't contact her, but with Simon gone, Helena started to run out of excuses. On the one hand, she loved her husband and she didn't want to betray him like this. She also knew that the Queen Mother is still angry with her and wants nothing more than see her fail. On the other hand, she has already failed. She was wrong when she thought that her mother taught her well enough how to hold back her feelings. On these sleepless nights she tried to focus her thoughts on the Fashion Show. Eventually the morning came and the Queen could finally get started to work. She went to the study where her assistant was waiting for her.

"Are you ready?" – she asked Rachel, who sat across from her with a notebook.

"Yes, Your Majesty." – said her assistant and she looked at her expectantly.

"I was thinking about these last five years…" – started Helena. – "When I married Simon and became the Princess of Wales this country were in a deep economic crisis. It brought serious losses, personal tragedies to us. My family is just one of many families who suffered because of it. Now it's finally over and we have the opportunity to reflect on it. Therefore, I want this Fashion Show to be a celebration. A celebration of unity, strength and pride, a celebration of being British. I am going to call it _'Cool Britannia'_. What do you think?"

Though Rachel liked the idea she found it still immature.

"It sounds great… What do you have in mind?" – she asked cautiously.

Luckily, the Queen had more time to think about it than she thought.

"It is very simple. What makes us British?" – asked Helena and without waiting for a response she continued. – "What are the most important symbols of our country? The Big Ben, the tea, the Union Jack, The Beatles of course blah-blah… But the main symbol of this country is us: the Royal Family. So when I stage my first Fashion Show, I want it to be about our country, I want it to be about us."

* * *

The next few weeks were very busy. Queen Helena's biggest innovation was to use the members of the Royal Family as models for the show. Her mother and Prince Cyrus were more than willing to cooperate (the latter wasn't so happy that her ex-wife joined them as well), however the Queen Mother refused to participate in this ' _circus_ ' as she called it. Within days the city was covered with posters showing the members of the Royal Family, as one of them posed in front of the Big Ben, another one on a Double Decker, yet another with the Koh-i-Noor on her chest.

Queen Gloria began an open crusade against her daughter-in-law by calling those fashion designers, aristocratic families and representatives of the media who were loyal to her for a boycott.

The worst part of it was that Helena had to hear about it from Robert. In the last days she barely saw her children and now she had only ten minutes for him while dress fitting.

"Close your eyes." – ordered Helena as she changed from one gown to another.

The little boy did what he was told as he asked:

"Mommy, is it true that we are living in a brothel now?"

The seamstresses began to chuckle softly until the Queen's angry gaze silenced them.

"Brothel, again? What is wrong with you?" – hissed Helena trying to hide her embarrassment. – "Who told you that?"

"Granny." – replied Robert happily without sensing the tension in her mother's voice.

The Queen wanted to ask him which granny was it because both of them were capable of saying something like this, though only one of them would do it in front of Robert.

"Tell me, darling, did she say this to you?" – she asked in a calmer tone.

The Prince shook his head. Then her mother asked him further questions which he answered willingly:

"She told Scribbler on the phone. Who is Scribbler?"

"If he works for your grandmother, he is probably a bad person who tries to sabotage me." – replied her mother.

The dress fitting was almost over and Helena was about to go to her next meeting with a prominent music manager to arrange the live music for the show and the after party. However, her son stopped her.

"You never spend time with me. This show is more important for you than your family." – he complained in a whiny voice.

Queen Helena knew immediately from the choice of words that the Queen Mother put those words into her son's mouth and it made her extremely angry. She tried her best not to take it out on Robert as she crouched next to him and said:

"Listen, Robert. I told you that I have to work more than usual for a little while and we won't see each other as much. I know it's hard because your father can't be with you either right now, but you can play with Katie, you can see your siblings, you can feed the ducks…" – she started, then she sighed. – "The point is that I love you and I never lie to you. So the next time your grandmother says something mean about me, please remember that you don't have to believe her."

* * *

The Fashion Show was a great success. The media praised Queen Helena for her creativity and compassion for the British people and they soon started to mention _'Cool Britannia'_ as the beginning of a new era in England marked by unity and pride. Helena chose young designers for her event who embraced this renewed idea of Britishness and created beautiful clothes inspired by famous landmarks and specialties of the country.

The Queen walked the catwalk in a red gown with a long geometric train which was loosely based on the typical London phone booths while the Duchess of York wore a patterned dress which evoked the Bone china teacups. Her ex-husband, Cyrus was in a red herringbone suit with royal blue tie. Of course the Grand Duchess of Oxford demanded the best piece of clothes for herself and eventually she was allowed to wear a magnificent hand embroidered English Rose gown.

However, the biggest surprise of the evening was the mysterious and still nameless girl band who gave an amazing concert after the Fashion Show. The five girls came out of nowhere, everybody was just guessing who they might be. This was not a disadvantage, but on the contrary! They could be easily associated with the fresh start and the conception of _'Cool Britannia'_.

* * *

By eleven o'clock Helena was convinced that every guest and performer left the Palace grounds and she wearily sank into an armchair. She was about to go to bed when Rachel informed her of Cyrus's private party. The Queen decided to check on her brother-in-law, though she didn't expect to find him with the members of the girl band.

"What the hell is going on here?" – she asked angrily when she saw the almost teenage girls sitting half-naked on Cyrus's lap.

"I'm entertaining the girls." – answered the Prince with an evil grin. – "If I'm not mistaken, you invited them."

"To the Fashion Show, not to a Slumber Party!" – shouted Helena.

One of the girls, Ginny cried out excitedly:

"A Slumber Party? You are such a badass queen!"

The Queen looked at her and rolled her eyes.

"Shut up! Get dressed and get out. What is your problem, Cyrus? I thought we were on the same page."

Her brother-in-law grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, almost dragging her onto his lap next to the others.

"Me too, until you decided to invite Lolita Cock…"

"Who?" – asked the Queen, confused.

"My ex-wife. That was her stage name."

Helena frowned, then they all burst into laughter.

"Come on." – said Cyrus gently. – "Your show was a success, everybody loved it, now relax and drink with us."

"Please!" – pleaded the girls.

"Fine." – sighed Queen Helena and shook her head reproachfully. – "One drink and then everybody goes home."

Obviously they didn't stop at one drink. In an hour they were all sitting on the floor and passing a bottle of scotch between each other.

"So what is your deal… with singing and all that?" – asked Helena as she took a long pull at the whisky.

The girls shrugged and looked at each other, puzzled. Finally, the most sassy of them, Liz spoke up.

"Nothing." – she replied with ease. – "We just want to have fun and make some money. Not every girl can become the Queen of England…"

Helena smiled at her comment.

"Trust me, it's not as funny as you think. I feel like I missed so many things…"

"What do you mean?" – asked Jenny, the youngest one of the girls.

"My youth, for one… I could count on one hand how many times I went partying or got drunk... like this." – started Queen Helena, then she dropped her voice into a whisper. – "I'm telling you, girls, my husband was the second man I ever had sex with and he is probably the last one… I'm twenty-five, but sometimes I feel like a horny teen mum… "

Sandy, who sat next to the Queen, looked at her with compassion as she remarked:

"The horny teen mum of England…"

"Yes, that's a good one…" – agreed Helena in a loud voice and clapped her hands. Then she added more softly. – "Meanwhile, I can't be a normal mum to my own children."

"That sucks." – yawned Liz and lay down on the floor.

"Would you exchange your life with anyone else?" – asked Sandy curiously.

Cyrus looked at her sister-in-law with concern fearing that she might say something which she would regret later. She already said too much.

"I think we should go to bed." – he said quickly before Helena could answer.

"You are boooring, Cy." – complained Ginny. – "Would _you_ exchange your life?"

"Yes." – nodded the Prince.

"With whom?" – spoke up Meg, who was rather quiet until now.

"My brother." – came the straight answer.

Liz sat up and looked at him with anticipation.

"Ooooh! All of it?" – she asked flirtatiously.

After a serious amount of whisky, Cyrus wasn't as vigilant as usual and he walked into her trap.

"All of it." – he replied and waved his hand to the air.

"Someone has a crush…!" – chirped Liz mockingly and pointed her two index fingers at Cyrus and Helena.

"Pff… No." – the Queen shook her head in protest. – "Someone wants to be the King."

The girls giggled knowingly, but they didn't dare to look at the royals. Lucky for them, little Jenny saved the day and shut down the party as well.

"I'm gonna throw up." – she said in a weak voice.

The other girls rushed to her. They tried in vain to help her up and escort her to the nearest bathroom while Cyrus shouted like a teenage boy terrified of his parents:

"Not in my room!"

It was too late. A huge part of Jenny's stomach contents landed straight on his lap.

"Aaah! This was a designer suit, you stupid bitch!" – he cried and quickly floundered to the bathroom, followed by Jenny and two of the girls.

Helena wasn't pleased either by the turnout of the events. She silently walked to the wall and took out a cloth and cleaning supplies from a hidden cabinet. She dropped them at the remaining girls' feet. They stared up at her in surprise.

"What? I won't wake the maids in the middle of the night. You can get started or wait for Jenny to do it, I don't care. There is only one Queen, the others have to clean up their own mess." – she said and she walked out of the room leaving the two astonished wannabes behind.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

 **A.N.: I pulled out one sentence about the long line of secret spa dates because it sounded too fatal regarding our royal love triangle.**

* * *

Last night the Queen had just enough strength to go to her bedroom and lie across the bed, then she fell asleep immediately. She was woken up by the ringing of the phone.

"Hello?" – she yawned, suddenly not realizing that only two people were allowed to put on the bedroom phone with her: Rachel and her husband.

"Good morning, my love!" – said the King happily which felt like a loud scream to his wife.

Helena held the receiver away from her ear.

"Simon…? What time is it?" – she asked weakly.

"Here or there?" – asked back the King more carefully.

"Anywhere…" – mumbled the Queen. – "Where are you?"

Simon began to realize that he handled the time difference a bit too loosely.

"In Vancouver. I'm sorry to wake you up, but you said that you can't sleep so I could call you any time…" – he apologized.

"Not today. I have a hangover…" – moaned Helena.

King Simon chuckled softly.

"I can hear that…" – he said, then he changed the subject. – "I just finished watching your Fashion Show. I wanted to call you right after."

The Queen tried to sit up slowly as her head was still spinning.

"Did you like it?" – she finally asked and she took a deep breath.

"It was amazing, I'm so proud of you." – cried the King, still with a bit too much enthusiasm to his wife's ears. – "It was more than just a fashion show. I think it really meant a lot to the people."

"I hope so." – whispered Helena.

Simon cleared his throat as he asked:

"How are the children?"

"They are fine." – answered his wife and she briefly told him about how they were doing. – "Liam finally begins to show some interest towards… anything. Eleanor is still fussy. The nanny says that maybe her tooth is coming in, but I think it's too early for that. Robert misses you…"

"I miss him too, I miss all of you." – the King interrupted her.

"Just a couple more days." – sighed the Queen. – "Are you having a good time, though?"

"Yes. The Prime Minister took me to a hockey game yesterday. I had a lot of fun." – remarked King Simon joyfully.

"I bet. You love all the sports." – giggled Helena.

"I guess you are right, my love." – agreed her husband.

They both remained silent for a moment, listening to each other's breathing. Then he finally asked:

"Anything interesting at home?"

"Not really." – answered Helena after a little thinking. – "Your beloved sister-in-law… ex-sister-in-law, Courtney was here yesterday. She showed me pictures of the children. I'm telling you, those girls look weird. I'm not surprised that Cyrus never goes to see them. What else? We have a missing kitchen girl. The maids are freaked out and they want me to…"

"Stephanie?" – the King cut her off with his question.

"I don't know. Why?" – asked back the Queen, uninterested.

"She came with me." – said Simon with ease.

Helena thought she heard wrong.

"What?" – she asked more in shock than in anger.

King Simon didn't seem to understand the reason behind his wife's outcry as he answered the question:

"She wanted to visit her grandmother so I invited her to join me."

"On the royal plane..." – groaned Helena in a painful tone. – "Just please, make sure that you are not photographed together. We don't need a scandal."

"You don't really think that there is something between us, do you?" – asked Simon indignantly after he realized what his wife's words meant.

"It doesn't matter what I think." – replied the Queen avoiding to give a straight answer.

"It does to me." – argued the King loudly.

Helena flung the receiver at the mattress by her side, then she raised it to her ear again.

"What am I supposed to say to the staff?" – she snapped at her husband.

"The truth?" – he asked back in the same tone.

"Of course…" – hissed the Queen, then she added sarcastically as if she would speak to the staff already. – "'Don't worry, the missing maid is not missing. She is with my husband.' "

The King had to force patience on himself and take the high road.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." – he started, but he couldn't stop adding a nasty end to his sentence. – "I would have never thought that you would be jealous."

"Is this the only thing that you caught from what I said?" – asked Helena angrily.

"This is the only part that I'm interested in." – her husband replied more honestly this time.

However, it didn't impress the Queen.

"I hope you are not planning to bring her back." – she remarked in a menacing voice.

"Then how is she supposed to come home?" – asked Simon who was fed up with his wife's childish and heartless attitude.

"I don't know. Buy her an economy class ticket if you insist, it will be more than enough for her…" – said the Queen and she decided to end the conversation. – "Listen, I have to go."

"Now? We are not finished." – began the King, but Helena interrupted him.

"Sorry, I have thirty freaked out maids who just can't wait to hear the good news." – she said scornfully and hung up the phone.

* * *

After her husband's early phone call, the Queen fell back asleep. By the time she woke up, her assistant was already waiting for her in the study.

"What is it, Rachel?" – asked Helena, pale and ruffled, not even trying to hide her hangover.

"If this is a regular thing from now on… – started Rachel gesturing toward the Queen's face with her raised hand. – "… we'll need to hire a makeup girl."

"Fuck off! You sound like my mother. Just tell me what you want, then walk away." – said Helena annoyed.

Rachel handed her a couple of tabloids, which she hid behind her back up to now.

" ' _Queen of Fashion'_... _'Long live the Queen'_... _'Britain is Great so is her Queen'_ " – mumbled Queen Helena as she read the covers.

"It looks like your efforts and sleepless nights paid off, Your Majesty. They adored your Fashion Show. You really showed them. And nothing proves this better than the fact that the Queen Mother approached me…" – remarked the assistant with a satisfied smile.

Helena looked at her with interest. Rachel returned her gaze and nodded to confirm her last words. They looked at each other silently for a moment, then both let out a scornful chuckle.

"I didn't think that she would be so desperate…" – said the Queen in a musing tone.

Her assistant suddenly stepped toward the desk and rummaged into the newspapers. Finally, she pulled out a folded paper and gave it to Helena.

"Her desperation may have something to do with this." – she said.

"What is this?" – asked the Queen curiously and she unwrapped the note.

It was a handwritten letter or more like a report. Helena started to read it aloud.

" _7:30 am. Q.M. packs her bags, short trip to the countryside, she says_

 _7:50. am. P. C. still in bed, female guests gone._

 _7:55. am. Maids gathering: still missing maid. Panic increased!"_

The Queen looked up from her reading.

"This is hilarious!" – she said with a surprised laugh. – "Who gave you this?"

"A member of the _Silent Marys_ , the Queen Mother's personal network of spies. Apparently, they shifted their loyalties to you."

"Wow! I always wondered where she gathers her informations, but I never thought that she has actual spies." – sighed Queen Helena.

Rachel shrugged, then she took a deep breath before she began to speak again:

"There is an other thing. Your Majesty asked me to tell if it's safe to leave the Palace to meet with a certain person. I think there is no safer time than now."

"And?" – asked Helena a bit nervously.

"I made all the arrangements." – replied Rachel willingly. – "There is a building outside the city, halfway to Essex, owned by a friend of mine. It's a spa… well, at least daytime."

The Queen burst out laughing.

"So your plan is to smuggle me out through the tunnels, take to your friend's spa-slash-whatever it is and then…?" – she asked in disbelief.

"No. You have to use the main door. In that way nobody will care where you go. You also need a double so that there would always be someone to see you there. In the meantime, you can stay hidden in a room upstairs." – explained Rachel, then she asked the logical question: – "Shall I make the call to my friend and… your friend?"

"I guess I have no choice." – thought Helena, then she nodded in agreement. – "Yes, please call Alistair and your friend. Thank you, Rachel."

* * *

Five days later the King returned from his journey and the Queen decided to surprise him. Out of love, or guilt, or respect for the traditions, she revived a medieval habit of the Royal Court by summoning all members of the staff on the steps of the Palace to salute their monarch. Helena stood in front of them, wearing a pink dress so short that she would have never allowed to herself in the presence of the Queen Mother.

Simon was stunned and a little embarrassed when he got out of the car with a huge bouquet of roses.

"All the way from Canada?" – asked the Queen as she took the flowers from him.

"All the way from a Chelsea flower shop." – he replied and kissed his wife passionately.

There was loud cheering in the distance. A crowd of mostly tourists gathered at the gates waiting for the _Changing the Guard_.

"Lucky guys… I don't think they read about this kind of spectacle in the guidebook." – remarked Helena flirtatiously.

"Come on, let's go there." – the King proposed happily.

"Greeting tourists?" – asked the Queen in surprise. – "I'm not sure that it would send the right message."

King Simon burst out laughing.

"Are you afraid that the British people will be offended? After the Fashion Show you just did for them?"

He didn't wait for an answer. He grabbed her hand and gently pulled her down the stairs.

"Simon…" – Helena began when they were almost at the gates. – "Thank you."

"For what?" – her husband asked in surprise.

"For not bringing her home." – sighed the Queen.

The King suddenly stopped on the stairs which almost made his wife stumble. He grabbed her in time, putting his hand around her waist to help her regain her balance. He looked at her trying to figure out if there was any underlying meaning behind her words. She gave him a blank look, then she let go of his hand and walked down the steps. Simon followed her, confused.

"Konnichiwa! Konnichiwa!" – greeted Helena a couple of Japanese tourists while she shook their hands.

The King stood a meter away from her trying to understand a French couple who wanted to get into the Palace at all costs.

"Votre Majesté, laissez-nous entrer, s'il vous plait… Juste cinq minutes?... Five minutes, okay? Please!" – shouted the man.

Simon looked at his wife and spread his arms helplessly. Helena took a few steps towards him and turned to the Frenchman:

"Quel est le probleme?" – she asked with a forced smile.

"On voudrais visiter le Palais. Pourriez-vous nous laisser entrer?" – he repeated his daring request.

The Queen couldn't hold back a genuine laugh.

"Si seulement je pouvais… mais je n'ai pas les clés sur moi!" – she said and the tourist couple seemed to understand the joke.

"What did they want?" – asked the King curiously.

"He wanted to come in. I told him I didn't have the keys with me. Can we go now?" – whispered Helena in her husband's ears. – "I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" – asked Simon with a smile as they headed back to the Palace.

The Queen's surprise was something bedroom-related and it started with a bottle of champagne and some very expensive lingerie.

"I missed you, darling." – she moaned as they closed the bedroom door behind them.

"I missed you too." – he replied and he gently pushed her on the bed.

Helena let him undress her with his eyes and she pulled her closer. Before they would have continued any further, she reached for the remote control on the nightstand and turned on the radio. Nobody needed to hear what they were doing, although everybody knew it. – – –


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

The Queen Mother didn't return from her journey for months. At first, she was the guest of her old friend, the Belgian Queen for a couple of weeks. She was the one who advised her to visit some third world countries and draw attention to the problems there and that way to herself too. Thanks to that good advice Queen Gloria could be almost certain that she would become the next United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She seemed so satisfied with this new career opportunity that her son, the King had a very hard time to convince her to come back at least for the baptism of the twins.

The next morning, after a long time, the whole family gathered for a brunch. Since everyone else pretended to be too busy with the food to speak, Simon decided to break the ice.

"Thank you for the comic books, Mum. Robert loves them so much, you should see it." – he said kindly.

Helena snorted as she heard her husband's weak lie, but Simon's pleading eyes made her change her attitude.

"And the Brussels lace you sent is so beautiful. I know a young designer who could make wonderful dresses from it for both of us." – she said with ease trying her best to be sickeningly sweet to her mother-in-law.

"You're welcome." – mumbled the Queen Mother with a forced smile.

The King gently put a hand on his mother's arm. His voice was full of amazement as he spoke:

"You became quite a world traveller in the past few months."

"Yes, indeed." – remarked Prince Cyrus who decided to join the conversation. – "You have visited so many places that we almost lost track of you. We are lucky that the media were always there to keep the rest of the world updated about your whereabouts."

Helena softly chuckled and gave his brother-in-law a knowing glance.

"Which was the last country you visit? Kenya?" – she asked in an innocent voice.

"Congo." – replied Queen Gloria scornfully. – "The other side of Africa. It's all right, Helena. We know that geography is not your strong suit. A defect which I hope will not be passed on to my grandchildren."

"And yet I'm the only one with a driver licence in the family." – hissed Queen Helena and sneered at her mother-in-law.

Before the older queen could have replied, Helena turned to her husband:

"I decided to take Robert to the Children's Hospice next week as his first official charity."

"Out of the question." – cried out the King.

The Queen shook her head and prepared for an argument, but her mother-in-law intervened.

"I think it's a really good idea." – she said to everybody's surprise, then she continued. – "Think about it Eric, my dear, our son is the next king of England."

Helena frowned blankly while Cyrus and Simon looked equally puzzled at each other.

"Mum?! What did you say?" – Simon asked quickly, hoping that he misheard her mother.

"What do you think?" – asked back Queen Gloria in a sarcastic tone. – "I said that your son is the heir to the throne. You should pay attention when your mother is talking to you, Simon."

They didn't have more time to think about that because Prince Robert stormed into the room.

"Mummy! Daddy! The playground is ready. I want to try it."

Simon quickly caught him before he would have bumped into a giant porcelain vase and lift him onto his lap.

"What do you say when you ask something from us?" – he asked kindly.

"Please!" – came the right answer from the Prince.

The King looked at his wife who nodded in agreement. The brunch was a disaster and they were all happy to have an excuse to leave the table.

* * *

The playground was a gift from the Duchess of Oxford for her three grandchildren on the occasion of the twins' christening. Therefore, the King and the Queen decided that it was only fair if they inaugurated it all together. The place was loosely based on Prince Robert's plans – perks of being a three-year-old royalty – and consisted of a large sand box, a wooden castle which was connected to a slide by a bridge and three swings bearing the name of the two Princes and the Princess.

The Queen was amazed by her son's achievement and like a true mother she didn't care about the fact that the real work was done by an architect.

"I'm so proud of you!" – she cried and she leaned over her son to cover him with her kisses.

Robert quickly escaped from her arms and ran into his castle. His parents followed him and stopped in front of the little castle's tower. Helena took the twins out of the stroller and carefully put them in the swings while Simon played with Robert in the castle.

Little Eleanor seemed to have a very good time. Her satisfied babbling told the world of her happiness when her mother started to rock her in the swing.

"Go away, Eleanor… Come back, Eleanor… Go away… Come back to Mummy…" – cried Helena in a playful tone as she pushed her daughter back and forth.

However, Liam wasn't so fond of this game and burst into tears as soon as the swing moved. The Queen had no choice but to take him out and hold him in her arms. Suddenly, she heard that Robert cried out for her.

"Mummy, help me! He wants to take my castle!"

Apparently Simon launched a full offensive with a stick on Robert's fortress and now he stuck helplessly in his tower.

"How can I help?" – Helena shouted back to her son.

Robert seemed to consider his options, then he made his decision:

"I need more men. Give me Liam… please!"

The Queen was about to obey his command, but at that moment her husband snatched the baby out of her hands.

"Oh, oh, it seems like we lost a soldier." – she cried in mock despair. – "Our only hope is Eleanor now. What do you think?"

"Lenny can't fight, she is a girl. Girls can't fight, don't you know that, Mummy?"

Queen Helena shook her head as she took her daughter out of the swing and kissed her cheek.

"Girls are the best fighters, especially your sister."

Prince Robert didn't share her views, but the next attack of his brother and father made him change his mind. Simon even managed to bring baby Liam to let out a terrible battle cry with him.

"Okay. Come up here, Mum." – cried Robert, then he shouted in great excitement. – "Watch out! Don't let him take away Lenny!"

After a short chase, Helena managed to get rid of her pursuer and climbed up to the tower with the Princess.

"We are never going to win!" – whined Prince Robert after a little while.

His mother gave him a reassuring look.

"Just watch me!" – she said and with a gesture of her hand, she beckoned her husband.

The King stepped closer just enough so that the Queen could reach him. She used this opportunity to lean over the wooden railing and give him a long kiss.

Simon began to stagger and pretended to receive a severe wound. He didn't forget about Liam in his arms so he fell onto his knees very slowly and carefully, then he lay on the ground with the baby on his stomach.

"How did you do that? How did you do that?" – Robert asked his mother in astonishment.

Helena gave him an enigmatic smile.

"I used my secret weapon."

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time they got back. The Queen put the children to nap and joined her husband for a tea in the conservatory.

"Listen, we have to talk about Robert." – she started. – "You can't forbid me to take him with me if I want to because..."

"Because you are the Queen of England, is that it?" – Simon snapped at her.

"…because I'm his mother." – Helena finished her sentence. – "This Children's Hospice is not what you think. It's my charity for years. Those little boys and girls are like any other children. We don't talk about sickness or death, that's the last thing they want. We usually draw pictures or read storybooks… Obviously you never see the same faces again, which is sad of course, but... Robert can do these things… It's not bad for him to meet other children and also learn some responsibility as the future king of England."

While she was speaking, she let the maid pour the tea, then she sent her away. Simon was lost in his own thoughts, he barely listened to his wife's speech.

"Okay." – he said after he realized that his wife stopped talking.

"Okay? That's it?" – asked Helena in shock. It was way too easy. She leaned to him and stroked his face. – "What is it, Simon? If you are so against it, I won't take him with me…"

"It's not that." – replied the King and shook his head. – "I was thinking about my mother. Did you hear what she said? She mistook me for my father. I'm worried about her."

Queen Helena sighed and pulled closer to her husband.

"I'm sure it was just a slip of the tongue, nothing serious." – she said in a comforting tone and kissed him on the cheek.

Simon didn't want to burden her with the disturbing thoughts that raced in his head so he returned to their previous topic instead.

"If you think that Robert is old enough to carry out some charity work, take him with you. I mean it."

Helena was still surprised and unsure what to say.

"It's not just about the charity." – she finally said. – "Since the twins were born and I became the Queen I couldn't spend as much time with him as I'd like to. I know it's selfish, but the last time he asked me to take him with me, it suddenly seemed the perfect solution. And the other thing is... he is nearly four years old and he has almost never been outside this Palace. He is so curious and clever… I know it's silly, but sometimes I look at him and I can see the king he will become one day."

Simon looked at his wife's face while she was speaking about Robert. He always liked to watch her closely whenever she talked about their son.

Their marriage started as an arranged marriage, they hardly knew each other and they were certainly not in love. Or they were, but not with each other. Helena was a kind, but moderate woman who didn't like the public display of emotions, sometimes even when they were alone. But after Robert was born, Simon heard her talking like she never talked before: with undisguised and uncensored maternal pride in her voice. That was the moment he fell in love with her.

"It's not silly." – he said with affection. – "Just don't forget to talk to Ted Pryce about safety measures."

"Ted Pryce?" – the Queen asked back, confused.

"Yes. Avery Marshall retired last month, so I appointed Ted head of security." – he said and looked at his wife, only to see the troubled expression on her face.

Helena was able to put aside her personal feelings about her husband's bodyguard, but couldn't hide her concerns about his professional skills.

"Don't you think that he is too young for this?" – she asked carefully.

Simon burst out laughing.

"He is the same age as I am, that's true, but he has enough experience for a lifetime, trust me."

* * *

Prince Robert was beyond excited to go outside the Palace and finally see the city of London.

"Will we see the Thames?" – he asked his mother bouncing up and down in the room.

"Probably." – replied Helena with a smile.

"Can Mr. Tiger come with us?" – he asked again after he finally stopped for a moment.

The Queen looked at the cuddly toy in his son's arm and answered very seriously.

"Only if he is a good tiger, but he must stay in the car while we meet the children."

"It's a she." – Robert corrected her mother, then he added. – "Mr. Tiger is the queen of the tigers."

Helena adjusted his clothes for the last time before taking his hand and escorting him out to the car which was waiting for them.

Fifteen minutes later they all sat in the car: the Queen, her son, their security detail and Rachel. Robert was looking out the window, silently admiring the parks and buildings they passed by. On the other side the bodyguard did the same thing. Between the two of them, the Queen was putting the final touches on her makeup.

The beeping sound of Rachel's mobile phone broke the silence.

"What is it?" – asked Queen Helena and she looked expectantly at her assistant who sat opposite her.

Rachel hesitated before she answered because she knew that the text message she got would upset the Queen.

"It's from Susan, Princess Eleanor's nanny. The Princess just stood up in her crib. It's on video."

Helena leaned back, her head resting against the seat and rolled her eyes.

"Wonderful. I missed this one too. I just miss everything." – she sighed. – "Next time, don't even tell me. Have it on video and I watch it later, but I don't want to know about it. What is the point when…"

"Mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy...!" – cried Robert to draw his mother's attention.

"What?" – the Queen snapped at him.

"Is this the Tower Bridge?" – he asked curiously.

Helena leaned forward to be able to see out the window.

"No, it's just one of the railway bridges… I show you the Tower Bridge on our way back, I promise. We can even stop there for a minute."

They almost arrived at the Children's Hospice when the car suddenly stopped. The Queen looked nervously at her watch.

"What is going on?" – she cried forward to the driver, but she didn't get an answer. A few moments later they heard two gunshots.

The bodyguard pressed his face against the window to see what happened. He carefully opened the car door and crouched behind it. The others watched him breathlessly.

"Undo your seat belt and stay inside." – he whispered finally, then he shut the door and left them.

Rachel and the Queen did as he ordered. Helena then unfastened Robert's seat belt as well and took him into her lap.

A few moments later they heard another gunshot and the same car door opened again. But it wasn't their security detail who came back. The man wore a black ski mask and his gun pointed straight to the Queen.

"Give me the Prince and leave the car!"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

… _They heard another gunshot and the same car door opened again. But it wasn't their security detail who came back. The man wore a black ski mask and his gun pointed straight to the Queen._

"Give me the Prince and leave the car!"

"On a cold day in hell!" – shouted Helena while she hid Robert behind her back and turned against their attacker.

Rachel pulled closer to the Queen so the man had no chance to reach the Prince without removing them of the way.

"What do you want?" – asked Helena in a chillingly calm voice which concealed her panic.

"10.000 pounds." – hissed the man between his teeth.

The Queen slowly backed away from him and almost pressed Robert against the car door while she spoke:

"I can give you that. Let us go and I give you the money."

The masked man laughed, then spat on her.

"You are lying." – he shouted and with his shaky hand which held the gun, he aimed at the Queen.

He seemed to scare by his own behaviour, so he lowered the gun and added with more self-control:

"If I let you go, you call the police and I can't let that happen. I have to take the boy. I don't want any trouble. You pay the ransom, I give him back."

Helena kept the conversation going on to stall for time while she tried to find the door handle behind her back.

"You are an intelligent man. I know that we understand each other. Therefore, I trust you will understand that as his mother, I can't let you take my son."

Her words seemed to affect the kidnapper because he continued in a soft almost begging voice.

"What else can I do? I don't want to hurt you, please just get out of the car and let me go with him. I won't hurt him, I promise you, I would never hurt a little boy."

Queen Helena knew that only the necklace she wore was worth more than 10.000 pounds, but in order to take it off and give it to the man, she must let go of the door handle she just found. Suddenly she felt Rachel's hand on her hand and she knew that it was their only chance. She released the handle and raised both of her hands to her neck. She unclasped the pendant and slowly put it on the seat between herself and the attacker.

"Take this. You can get at least 20.000 pounds for it." – she said and she looked straight in his eyes.

"No way. You are joking, right? You wouldn't wear something that valuable around your neck. It's a fortune." – the masked man exclaimed in genuine shock.

Helena let out a dim smile after his reaction, although she still felt her heart racing in her chest.

"I'm the Queen of England. I wear expensive jewellery every day."

The kidnapper reached for the necklace. As soon as he touched it, Rachel opened the door and pushed Robert out on the street, then she quickly closed it back behind him. After their attacker realized what she has just done, he raised his gun and shot her without hesitation. Helena screamed and crawled to her assistant. The man was frightened by the scream and the blood that leaked from Rachel's shoulder. He immediately dropped the gun and started to cry.

"Is she all right? Is she all right?" – he asked in deep shock.

Finally, the door opened and after some yelling two policemen dragged him out of the car. Moments later, the door opened on the other side as well and the two women left the vehicle.

As soon as she got out of the car Queen Helena was blinded by the sunshine or the flashing lights of the cameras, and she had to cover her face. She winced in fear when she felt that something bumped into her and clung to her legs. She looked down: it was Robert. Helena didn't feel enough strength to lift him so she knelt down and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

* * *

The Queen was still under shock when they were escorted back to the Palace by a group of policemen and special agents. Robert didn't want to let go of her leg so each step she made was very difficult. As soon as he saw them, King Simon rushed to them. He hugged his wife, then he picked up his son.

"Thank God, you are here." – he whispered and he couldn't stop stroking and kissing his son's head. With his free hand, he gently touched his wife's shoulder who stood still in the middle of the room. – "Are you all right, my love?"

Helena looked at him without really seeing him.

"Where are the children? I want to see my children. Where are they, Simon?" – she mumbled.

Two maids ran out of the room right away to find the twins.

"They are all right. They are safe now." – said Simon reassuringly and pulled Helena into an embrace.

However, she only calmed down when she finally saw the two babies wrapped in towels in their nannies' arms.

"Why are they wet?" – she asked suspiciously as she stepped closer to them and her eyes widened in fear. – "What happened to them?"

"They got dirty after playing in the tunnels, Your Majesty. We had to bathe them." – replied Liam's nanny.

The King walked behind the Queen and completed the woman's explanation.

"We had to go down to the tunnels for safety reasons, but we are fine. Everybody is fine."

Helena finally seemed to believe that and let the nannies go to finish the twins' bathing. Followed by the pitying glances of her husband, she walked over to a small coffee table. She tried to pour a drink from the crystal decanter, but her hands were shaking too much and she had to ask a maid to do it for her.

"Mommy?" – Robert cried out already half-asleep in his dad's lap.

"I'm here, darling." – Helena answered him wanly and walked back to him.

She slowly realized that the policemen were still in the room waiting for her. She motioned for them to sit down while she sat on the sofa with Simon and Robert.

"What do you want to know?" – she asked, more composed.

"You would greatly help in our work if you could just tell us briefly what happened, Ma'am."

The Queen took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.

"We just turned into the street of the Children's Hospice… What is the name of the street?... And then we stopped and we heard two gunshots… Or we heard the shots and then we stopped… Sorry, I can't remember… Rachel can tell you better than me… Where is Rachel?"

"She is in surgery, but she will be fine. Fortunately, her injury is not so serious." – Simon replied and squeezed her hand.

"I have to see her." – said Helena firmly.

The King shook his head.

"Not now. You need to rest. You can go there tomorrow morning."

The Queen resigned to his decision and she only said a few words addressing to a bodyguard next to her:

"I want hourly updates and one of you standing in front of her room non-stop."

"Yes, Your Majesty." – said the man and left the room to fulfil the order he got.

Prince Robert who fell asleep in his father's lap, now woke up fully awake.

"Mr. Tiger is still in the car, we have to go back to her."

"Of course." – said Helena, and stroked his son's hair, then she turned to the policemen. – "Would you call your colleague to fetch the tiger for us?"

The two men looked at each other and one of them said:

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. It's not possible. The car is under investigation."

Queen Helena suddenly got angry and she spoke in a threatening voice:

"My husband, the King of England is the head of the police service. You either get that fucking tiger right now or start looking for a new job."

Everybody in the room was shocked by the Queen's outburst. The ringing of the telephone brought an end to the awkward situation. A maid picked up the receiver and said shyly:

"The Grand Duchess of Oxford is on the line."

"I take it in my study." – Helena replied after a short hesitation and left the room in a hurry.

* * *

As she got to her study, she sank into a chair and let out a sigh before picking up the phone.

"Hello, Mother!"

"Finally!" – came the answer from Lady Alexandra. – "I can't believe I say this, but it's good to hear that irritating manly voice of yours. Oh, I was so worried, I had two new wrinkles on my forehead. It's a disaster. Thank God, they have already captured that man."

Helena smiled at her mother's complaint, but then something ran through her mind.

"Do you think he was alone?" – she asked anxiously.

"What do you mean?" – asked back the Duchess, who was probably more interested in her wrinkles than in the conversation.

The Queen nervously began to scratch her nail polish off as she blurted out the question.

"What if it was them?"

"It wasn't them." – replied her mother with ease. – "And for God's sake, leave your nails alone."

It wasn't enough reassurance for Helena.

"How do you know that it wasn't them?"

Lady Alexandra let out a weary sigh.

"It was the first thing I checked after I heard what happened. They are gone on a vacation. The whole Stewart family. Mother, father and their teenage boy."

"They could have hired someone." – argued the Queen.

"What makes you think that? Did you get another threat from them?" – asked her mother, who finally seemed more interested.

Helena shook her head.

"No. Not since the twins were born."

"See? Besides, he didn't want to kill Robert. He just wanted some money. At least that is what they say in the news." – remarked the Duchess.

Queen Helena was on the verge of crying as she recalled what happened.

"Yes, but he had a gun. He could have killed him."

"But he didn't." – said Lady Alexandra, who suddenly found herself feeling sorry for her daughter.– "Listen, Nellie. You are scared now and it's only natural…"

Helena winced at the mention of her childhood nickname. She couldn't remember when was the last time her mother called her that, if at all. She quietly listened to her voice as she continued:

"… but you need to calm down. Your son is fine. You saved him. You were clever and strong and I'm proud of you. But you can't be weak now, the people are still afraid. You are their Queen, you have to be strong for them as well."

Queen Helena felt the rage boiling in her when she realized that after everything her mother's only concern was the monarchy.

"I'm the Queen only because you made me." – she screamed at her. – "I agreed to your plan, but I never signed up for this. If anything had happened to my children… If anything happens to my children, it's on you! And I will never forgive you!"

After she slammed the phone down, she noticed her husband standing in the doorway.

"What was that?" – he asked indignantly. – "If you know anything, you must tell the police."

Helena looked at him terrified guessing on how much he heard from her phone call. After a long pause, she answered to him:

"I know nothing… except the fact that if I wasn't _your_ wife… if my son wasn't _your_ son, this would have never happened."

She realized immediately what she said and she looked contritely at her husband.

"I'm so sorry, Simon. I didn't mean that… I'm sorry…" – she mumbled, trying to swallow her tears.

The King walked over to her, sat on the arm of her chair and softly whispered to her:

"Don't hold back. Just let it out. Here we go. Let it all out." – he said while she buried her face in his chest and indulged into an uncontrollable sobbing.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

 _The marble floor of the throne room was covered with lying cattle when Helena got there. She knelt over one of them and saw the pain in its eyes. She rubbed the animal's head and she knew that it was dying. All of them were dying._

" _It's the mad cow disease. You shouldn't be here." – said a familiar voice behind her back._

 _She stood up and turned around to face the other woman. She wore riding clothes and she popped a whip while she walked through the cattle._

" _Who else should be here? You, Dominique? These are my father's cows." – the Queen snapped at her._

 _The girl burst out laughing._

" _It's not the first time you envy something from me. Anyway, they are all yours. What do you want to do with them?"_

 _They both knew that there was only one solution._

" _We have to end their suffering." – Helena sighed._

 _Dominique shook her head like a teacher when her student gave the wrong answer._

" _I already tried it. I gave them enough poison to kill a horse…"_

 _Queen Helena frowned when she heard the last words._

" _Just a figure of speech... I hope you are not offended." – added the other woman with ease._

" _Of course not." – replied the Queen with a forced smile._

" _Of course not." – Dominique repeated. – "Yet, please send my regards to Mommy dearest."_

 _Helena wanted to get out of the room badly, but something stopped her. She couldn't take a step, it was like her dress was caught on something. She turned around and realized that she wore a black train attached to her gown, so long that she couldn't see where it ended. Something was wrong, she knew it. First, she tried to drag, then to tear the fabric, but it was all in vain. Dominique silently watched her for a while before she spoke again:_

" _Stop trying, it won't work. You have to go back and find the end of it."_

 _Helena looked at her defiantly, but she didn't feel enough strength to resist. She followed the path marked by the dark lace veil with Dominique walking right behind her._

 _To the Queen's surprise, she found the end of her dress at the children's new playground. It was wrapped around the tower of Robert's castle or rather it was tied to it. There was something else that immediately caught her attention. Instead of the three swings, Helena saw three little coffins._

" _What are these?" – she asked in a shaky voice._

 _Her companion popped her whip as she spoke:_

" _Like you don't know." – she snorted in disdain. – "…_ 'And pride, and power, and king, and clown shall be Death's slaves at last.' _…"_

" _No, no, no! I don't believe you." – the Queen shouted, but she already felt the tears running down on her cheeks._

" _Please, open them up!" – Dominique replied with such excitement as if she had given a Christmas present._

 _When she saw Helena's hesitation, she shrugged and decided to do it for her. With one gentle move of her wrist, she snapped the whip on the coffins and their lid magically opened._

 _Queen Helena screamed aloud as she saw her children or what was left of them and jumped on the woman._

" _You did this, Dominique. You murdered them. I will kill you."_

" _Again?" – Dominique laughed at her and pushed her from herself. – "I didn't do it. You did it."_

* * *

It wasn't the first time King Simon had to wake his wife from a nightmare. In the past week, it became quite a routine. Though, he never heard her saying Dominique's name in her dream before.

"It's all right. Helena, wake up! Wake up, love. Come on! You are scaring Robert." – he whispered while he gently shook his wife's shoulder.

Helena was still kicking and screaming, but her husband's voice slowly reached her mind and she finally woke up.

Given the exceptional circumstances, Robert was allowed to sleep in his parents' bed, which was proved to be a wrong decision. As usual, he was also awakened by the screams of his mother and burst out crying.

"Mommy? Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry, darling." – Helena mumbled and looked at her son with guilt. – "Go back to sleep."

She carefully tucked him and stroked his head, trying to avoid her husband's gaze.

"We need to end this and ask Katie to sleep with him instead of us." – Simon said softly to his wife.

Helena wanted to object, but she knew he was right. The King watched her as she got out of the bed, put on her night robe and as part of her new routine, she headed to the door.

"They are fine. Please, stay." – he asked, almost begged her.

"You know, I can't. I have to see them." – she whispered and she left for the twins' room.

* * *

After her latest dream, Queen Helena felt that she couldn't rest until she found out who their attacker was. First, she thought she should go immediately to Cyrus, but she quickly realized what time it was so she continued her way to the nursery instead.

When she got there, Eleanor stood in her crib with one hand holding on to the bar and the other one stretched forward, demanding her mother to lift her up.

"You shouldn't wait up for me. Susan is right, I mess up your sleeping routine." – mumbled the Queen, but she took the baby out anyway.

With her daughter in her arms, she threw a glance at her other baby. Liam peacefully snuffled in his sleep. Helena adjusted the blanket on him and wiped the saliva off the edge of his mouth. Then she turned to Eleanor:

"Do you see your brother?" – she asked. – "You should do the same."

Eleanor let out a baby sound which was between somewhere 'na' and 'no'. Her mother decided to translate it as a sign of objection.

"You are not making it easy." – she acknowledged with a laugh. – "I hope you never will. It's always harder for a girl in this world. I wish you would remain like that, strong and stubborn, even if it means that you drive me crazy sometimes… rather than doing bad things and making wrong choices because someone pushed you to do them."

The sun was already up by the time Eleanor fell asleep. Helena gently kissed her on the forehead and put her back to the crib.

* * *

King Simon couldn't go back to sleep after his wife left. He had a hard time accepting her recent behaviour. Some days, she didn't return until dawn, but once it happened that a maid found her in the morning, sleeping on the floor of the nursery. It became very difficult to hide it from the palace employees. This time the King was lucky. Helena made it back in time before the staff began the morning shift.

"I just came back to change." – she said in a low voice after she realized that her husband was awake. – "Rachel comes home today. She will be here soon."

The King looked at her with worried eyes as she tossed her dress she was about to wear on a chair, and sat down to put on her makeup.

"You should sleep." – he remarked.

The Queen rolled her eyes.

King Simon knew that it wasn't the time nor the place with their son sleeping next to him, but he couldn't help himself. He had to ask her about her dream.

"Come here, please." – he asked her softly.

Helena walked over him and sat on the bedside.

"What is it?" – she asked impatiently.

Simon didn't know how to start so he decided to ask a safe question:

"Do you remember your dream?"

The Queen shook her head.

"No. I never do, I told you."

"I think it was different from the others." – the King continued with a big sigh. – "Tonight you called someone… you called Dominique."

The Queen slightly winced at the mention of her. Of course, she remembered her dream, but she couldn't tell him that.

"Really? That is strange." – she said with ease.

Simon looked at his wife suspiciously, then he asked in a pleading voice.

"Please! Can't you remember anything?"

"For God's sake Simon, I can't believe you are still so obsessed with her." – hissed Helena, who couldn't keep her cool anymore.

"I'm not." – her husband objected.

Queen Helena looked like a wounded deer. The King could not stand her gaze and he fiddled with the blanket instead while she was speaking.

"After all these years… Can't you think of me for once? I got attacked, my son was attacked… not hers, mine! And when _I_ wake up screaming from a nightmare, the only thing you can think about is _her_."

"You are not fair." – Simon mumbled, but it added oil to the fire.

"To hell about fairness!" – Helena shouted, forgetting about her sleeping son. – "I'm your wife. I don't have to be fair when it comes to her."

The King realized that he made a terrible mistake, but he had no idea how to fix it.

"You are right. I shouldn't have had to ask." – he said with guilt. – "But I love you and I care about you, only you. I'm worried about _you_ and I just tried to help. It came out wrong."

The Queen nodded and let him grab her hand and peck a gentle kiss on it.

"Don't talk to me about her ever again." – she said firmly and pulled away her hand.

* * *

An hour later the Queen was at the other end of the Palace, knocking on her assistant's door. When she entered, she acknowledged with surprise the presence of an older couple in the room. Once they were introduced to each other, the woman couldn't stop talking.

"Your Majesty!" – she started as if she was speaking to an old friend. – "It's so nice of you to take care of our Rachel. My Lord, that hospital was so posh and her medical bills must have cost you a fortune."

Helena couldn't hold back a genuine smile when she saw Rachel's embarrassment.

"I assure you, I can afford it." – she remarked kindly. – "Besides, Rachel is my right hand and she saved my son's life. She deserves the best."

"We can agree on that." – the woman replied enthusiastically. Then she turned to her husband. – "How sweet she is. She looks even younger than the pictures."

"Margaret!" – cried the man next to her. – "Mind your manners."

That was the point when Rachel felt the need to intervene.

"I think you should go now. Her Majesty has a very tight schedule and we have to discuss some important matter."

The couple seemed a bit disappointed, but they didn't dare to contradict her and they left the room. After the door was closed behind them, there was a moment of awkward silence.

"Your parents are very nice." – started the Queen, suddenly realizing that she and Rachel never talked about other than work before.

"They are not my parents. They are my in-laws." – replied Rachel, ashamed.

Helena was stunned by that revelation.

"You are married!" – she cried. – "When did you get married?"

Her assistant shrugged. The last thing she wanted was to discuss her personal life with the Queen of England, but she had no choice now.

"When I was seventeen. I wanted to get out of the foster system and marriage seemed easier than getting emancipated." – she said indifferently and in order to avoid further questions she quickly added. – "He died four years ago."

"I'm sorry." – Helena mumbled.

Rachel decided to change the subject to something more comfortable.

"I hope that my absence didn't cause any inconvenience for you." – she finally said.

The Queen shook her head.

"Not at all."

"Then you were pleased with the man I sent." – continued Rachel, reassured.

"Lucius? Yes." – replied Helena with a strange smile on her lips. – "He is a bit weird, but he seemed very professional. He didn't have much to do though, since I cancelled all my events."

Rachel looked disappointed at the Queen, who could detect a slight anger in her voice as she spoke:

"You shouldn't have done that, Your Majesty. It's not good for your image. The people need to see their queen. They need to see that she is the first woman of this country for a reason, that even a thing like this can't break her."

Helena took a deep breath. She didn't know if it was because of what they went through together or because she was too tired to control herself, she turned to her assistant with an unexpected honesty:

"I know. But the truth is that I'm scared, Rachel." – she sighed. – "Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve to be queen. What if the people think that I'm not worthy and they want to punish me… or my children? Take for instance the War of Roses. All those kings and queens: Lancasters, Yorks, Warwicks, Tudors… And what happened to them? They all believed that they deserve the crown and they are destined to be rulers."

Rachel didn't seem affected by her words at all.

"Because that was the only way." – she answered simply. – "Doubt and fear lead nowhere. If you want to move forward, you have no choice, but to believe."

"I guess you are right." – agreed the Queen. – "I will address to the people today. I would be glad if you sat on the couch with me and Robert. Besides, it is good press. Simon wants to honour us for our so-called bravery and he is going to give both of us the George Medal. So it would look good on camera if you were there as well when I'm talking about the attack."

"It would be an honour, Your Majesty." – said Rachel, who was finally satisfied with the way things were going.

* * *

 _\- QUEEN HELENA ADRESSES TO THE NATION -_

"Good morning! Today I would like to talk to you about tenacity. We British people are famous for our stiff upper lip and as the Bible says: 'our strength is made perfect in weakness.' A week ago an armed man attacked our car and tried to kidnap my son. If it wasn't for three people: our driver, George Hopkins, our bodyguard, Peter Banks and my assistant, Rachel Moore who was with us in the car and risked her own life to save Robert, I don't know what would have happened. Therefore, I'm grateful for her with all my heart. Fortunately, our attacker was captured on the spot and the police finally confirmed that he acted alone. My family and I are ready to put that awful incident behind us and I encourage all of you to do so and move forward with us. However, whoever out there wants to harm my family or my extended family, England, I have a message for you too: we are not afraid. We won't let fear control our life because fear leads us nowhere. Our family is strong and it will keep holding on. God save the King and God bless you all!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

 **A.N.: Sorry, I got caught up in this storyline, there is no scene with the children now. They will be in the next chapter, I promise.**

* * *

Although her speech made her even more popular among the people, Helena seemed to talk the talk, but not walk the walk. King Simon tried to convince her to go out somewhere or just to talk to him about her feelings, but he failed miserably. In his final desperation, he did something he has never thought to do.

"The things we do for love." – he mumbled as he dialed the number of his mother-in-law.

Judging by the barking of the dogs, the Duchess of Oxford took the call in her garden.

"Simon! What a surprise!" – started Lady Alexandra, but suddenly someone other than the King grabbed her attention. – "Oh for Christ's sake, Christopher! How many times should I tell you? Don't pour the tea yourself. Wait a minute and I'll do it for you."

King Simon quietly listened to her for a while, then he said in confusion:

"I can call you back later..."

"The King of England offers me to call back later. That is very funny." – the Duchess remarked with a laugh. – "No, it's not necessary. It is just my husband. Tell Helena that the doctor she sent is very effective. After all these years… He made real progress with him, but now he is more stubborn than ever. He wants to do everything by himself. She could come here to talk a little sense into him."

"I will tell her. She will be very happy." – Simon replied a bit impatiently.

His tone didn't escape Lady Alexandra's attention, who decided to cut to the chase.

"So why did you call?"

"It's about Helena." – the King answered willingly.

"It always is, it always is." – came the snarky response from his mother-in-law.

King Simon began to doubt the rightness of his decision, but he continued anyway.

"I'm worried about her. She still doesn't want to leave the Palace."

"And how can I help from here, the North Pole? – asked the Duchess scornfully. – "Do you want me to talk to her again?"

Simon shook his head, then he said in a worried tone:

"I don't think it would be enough. I hoped you could give me some advice, but it was clearly a mistake."

That little confession only made his mother-in-law more cheerful.

"So you need _my_ advice. I remember how vehemently you claimed that I don't know my daughter at all and getting rid of me was the best thing that ever could have happened to her."

"I don't remember saying those exact words…" – mumbled Simon, ashamed.

Lady Alexandra considered that as an admission of defeat and it was enough satisfaction for her. She didn't torture her son-in-law further and she was ready to give him the much wanted advice.

"You shouldn't have let her immerse in self-pity, she is dangerously good at it. The only thing you can do now is not being part of the problem."

"What do you mean?" – asked the King, confused.

"Don't force her to talk about her feelings, it won't help her." – the Duchess continued with ease. – "If she wants to talk, then she will, but if she wants to keep it to herself, you need to accept that as well. I, for one, never encouraged her to share her thoughts with me. We don't believe in this kind of therapy. Maybe that is why Helena appreciates deeds more than words."

The King heard the voice of his father-in-law in the background groaning something incomprehensible for his ears. Apparently, Lady Alexandra had no problem with understanding it as she answered to him:

"Yes, I will tell, but I'm not talking to her right now." – she said, then she turned her attention back to her son-in-law. – "In some ways my daughter still works like a child. How should I say this? You need to prove to her that you can ride the bicycle, otherwise she will never get on it."

If he wanted to be honest, Simon didn't fully understand what the Duchess meant by that metaphor.

"But I did leave the Palace and I offered to go with her to her charities…"

"Yes, but that is her fear." – cried Lady Alexandra. – "It's not a big deal for you to overcome _her_ fear. There must be something you are afraid of… Show her that you are capable of overcome _your_ fear and then she will try to do the same."

King Simon had to acknowledge that he underestimated his mother-in-law. Her advice sounded reasonable in terms of Helena and it suggested a pretty good knowledge of her.

Simon hurried to his wife's study, but he didn't find the Queen there.

* * *

Queen Helena headed to her brother-in-law to ask him if he found out anything about the attacker. She was about to knock on his door when she found herself facing her husband's security detail.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought I was clear when I fired you." – cried Helena indignantly.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I take my orders from the King." – answered Ted Pryce, who was just as delighted about their meeting as the Queen.

"How convenient!" – Helena mumbled. – "And what about those who take their orders from you? Those who should have protected me and my son?"

The bodyguard tried to keep a respectful tone as he answered:

"If you are referring again to that unfortunate incident, I can only tell you the same. Agent Hopkins ran away to call the police while Agent Banks tried to secure His Royal Highness."

"Except he didn't do that. _I_ secured Robert! _Rachel_ secured Robert! He just left us alone in the car!" – shouted Queen Helena.

"He only followed the protocol required in such cases." – Ted said, or wanted to say because he only got halfway through his sentence.

Suddenly the Queen's hand struck his face, very unexpectedly for both of them.

"Your Majesty has become quite a fighter lately." – hissed the bodyguard, rubbing his cheek where her heavy wedding ring left its mark.

"Do you have a family Mr. Pryce? I wish that you experience the same fear of losing them as I did. As I do every night."

Prince Cyrus, who was lured out of his room by the sounds of the argument, stood in the doorway and witnessed the whole scene. Now he decided to join the debate on his sister-in-law's side:

"Bravo Sis'! Slapping and cursing! You have the temper of Queen Elizabeth and the tongue of Margaret Anjou!"

Helena looked at Cyrus in surprise, then she glanced at her own hands with guilt.

"You may go now, Mr. Pryce." – she finally said trying to avoid any eye contact with the bodyguard.

Cyrus waited until Ted disappeared in the hallway before he spoke again:

"So… I'm sure there are other reasons of your visit beyond my entertainment with this lovely performance."

The Queen rolled her eyes.

"Of course. Did you find out anything about the attacker?"

Cyrus cast a quick glance at the room behind him and lowered his voice before he answered the question:

"I'm working on it. A very willing MI5 agent is waiting for me in my bed at this very moment. I should probably get back to him." – the Prince remarked with a sardonic grin, then he added. – "Now, if you please choose another venue for your next showdown and just leave, I would be grateful."

"Sure." – Helena nodded as she said: – "And Cyrus? Thank you."

"It's my pleasure. Literally." – her brother-in-law replied while he retreated to his room closing the door before the Queen.

* * *

Helena decided to get back to her room and try to occupy herself with a book until Cyrus finished his 'investigation'. However, she bumped into her husband in the hallway.

"What do you think?" – Simon asked her referring to the boots and leisure suit he was wearing.

"Hunting season becomes you, darling." – replied the Queen without taking a closer look at the King.

Helena was about to continue her way, but the voice of her husband stopped her.

"Except there is no hunting season right now. I'm going riding."

Queen Helena thought she misheard it.

"You?! Riding? A horse?" – she asked in shock. – "You hate horses. You are terrified even if you just have to watch me riding!"

Simon shrugged, but he couldn't hold back a smile seeing his wife's reaction.

"I thought I would give it a try. You like riding, eventually you will teach the children… Why should I be left out of the fun?"

Helena was so surprised, she still couldn't find the words.

"Has the cat got your tongue, my love?" – the King remarked with a genuine laughter. – "Why don't you join me to see my triumph… or my failure?"

The Queen finally recovered from the shock and looked at her husband.

"You won't fail if I'm there with you." – she replied with a flirty smile. – "Let me change my clothes and we meet at the stables.

* * *

King Simon turned out to be a very persistent student who tried his best not to show his fear in front of his wife while Helena taught him with angelic patience, repeating the same instructions over and over again:

"Straighten your back! Keep your centre of gravity low!" – she shouted.

The horse on the longe line slowly trotted around her in a circle with the King in the saddle. Finally, the Queen clucked her tongue and made the horse stop. She stepped closer and rubbed the animal's head while she whispered something into its ears.

"What did you say?" – asked Simon curiously.

Helena looked up to him and laughed.

"I told her that I'm grateful for her patience and apologized for putting her through the misery of a beginner rider." – she said with a guilty smile.

"I wasn't that bad, was I?" – her husband inquired in an insecure voice.

Queen Helena didn't know what to say to that. He was as bad as a beginner could be, but she didn't want to break his enthusiasm, despite how surprising and inexplicable was it for her.

"No, you were good…" – she finally said. – "…though Hippolyta did most of the work."

King Simon nodded in agreement, but he was unprepared for his wife's next move.

"What are you doing?" – he cried in panic when he saw that Helena untied the bond of the horse.

The Queen smiled at him as she dropped the rope on the floor:

"I thought you practiced enough to go on your own now." – she said teasingly until she saw the real fear in his eyes. It made her chill for a moment as the images of the kidnap attempt flashed in her mind. She quickly dismissed the thought and turned back to her husband. – "I was joking… Do you trust me?"

Simon was surprised by the question, but he replied rashly without hesitation.

"I do."

"Move over!" – Helena ordered firmly and the King slid back on the horse to make room for his wife in front of him.

Queen Helena gracefully climbed into the saddle and took the reins into her hands. After she made sure that Simon tightly hugged her from behind, she gave her horse a signal to move. Hippolyta patiently trotted away from the Palace into the bottom of the garden. A little later the King broke the silence.

"I never thought that this would be so good!" – he cried with joy.

The Queen frowned in confusion, but of course her husband couldn't see that.

"Why did you want to ride, then, if not for the fun?" – she finally asked.

King Simon was afraid that his plan would be found out so he answered as calmly as he could:

"For the fun, surely… but I didn't imagine that I was going to enjoy it _that_ much."

Helena smiled to herself. She had a feeling that Simon was doing that for her, but now she was absolutely sure of it. Though she still didn't want to talk about the past, she was ready to share some of her concerns about the future.

"Simon…" – she started. – "I have to talk to you about something. This has been bothering me for a while… since the attack…"

The King felt that his wife tensed in his arms as she spoke about the kidnap attempt.

"Yes? What is it? You can tell me everything." – he said to her softly encouraging her to continue.

"It's about Ted Pryce. I don't trust him." – Helena finished with a sigh. – "I can't accept that he is responsible for my children's safety."

King Simon was a bit disappointed. He expected that she would finally tell him the whole story, but it would have been too simple. When it came to Helena, he always had to rely on the limited information she gave him to find out more about her feelings.

"You are right. I can't trust Ted with our children if you are not comfortable with it. We find someone else for Head of Security." – Simon decided and he kissed his wife's cheek from behind. – "But you need to know, my love, that even though you don't, I still trust him and I keep him as my security detail."

The Queen nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Simon. For everything." – she said with noticeable relief in her voice. However, she couldn't hold back a sneer as she imagined the bodyguard's face after hearing the news.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

By the time they got back from riding, Prince Cyrus was already waiting for the Queen in her parlour. Helena sent away the servants and gave the order not to be disturbed.

"So?" – she asked eagerly after the two maids left the room closing the door behind them.

"You won't be happy." – said her brother-in-law and for a moment he seemed like he actually cared about her. – "Are you sure you want to know?"

The Queen didn't know how to interpret his strange behaviour. She wasn't used to people trying to protect her from the truth. It made her a bit nervous, but she managed to use a scornful tone as she answered:

"What a stupid question! Of course I want to know. Otherwise, I wouldn't have wanted you to find out. I can imagine what you will ask in return…"

"One of the nannies. The blonde one, preferably, but we can discuss this later." – replied Cyrus willingly, then he continued more seriously. – "Paul Whitely. Does this name ring a bell?"

Helena shook her head.

"No. Not really."

Her brother-in-law didn't seem surprised.

"He worked on your father's estate until ten years ago. Then, he bought a small piece of land from his property. It turned out, he didn't choose the best time for making such an investment. Well, what happened to him is pretty similar to what happened to your father. Except, he didn't have a daughter to marry the future King."

The Queen was shocked, she didn't know how to react to that. A variety of confusing thoughts flickered in her mind and she failed to notice that she said some of them out loud:

"So it was my fault…" – she mumbled and she backed away toward the door.

"Hardly. You don't even remember the poor guy, let alone…" – started Cyrus, but his sister-in-law has already fled the room before he could have finished.

* * *

Helena wandered around the corridors of the Palace, deep in thought until she found herself in front of the children's playroom. She stopped at the door and watched them sitting on the carpet and playing with each other. Katie was reading a storybook while Robert and the other nannies built a tower from building blocks for the twins to destroy it. The babies enjoyed this activity so much that their brother had to rebuild the tower again and again so they could see it collapsing repeatedly by their own hands. Finally, Katie noticed the Queen's presence and stopped reading. Robert looked at her in surprise and also stopped what he was doing.

"Walk away." – Queen Helena ordered the three nannies without further explanation.

Prince Robert wanted to protest, but it was too late. The three young women hurried out of the room before he could say anything.

"Mommy, you are mean. Katie was in the middle of a story." – he finally remarked.

Helena didn't care much about his complaint and shrugged her shoulders.

"She can finish it later. Aren't you happy to see me?"

"No." – answered Robert firmly and he turned back to his building blocks.

"Why not?" – asked his mother a bit offended.

"You were mean to Katie. And you smell like a horse." – came the honest response from Robert, then he added. – "Are you going to tell a story?"

As a matter of fact, Helena wasn't keen on storytelling, but since the attack it was hard for her to say 'no' to Robert.

"What kind of story do you want?" – she asked resignedly and sat next to him on the floor.

"Tell me about when we were attacked!" – cried her son excitedly.

Queen Helena downcast her eyes and began to twiddle the building blocks between her fingers.

"Robert, I don't need to tell you, you were there. Besides, I don't like talking about it."

"Please!" – pleaded Robert.

It didn't need much for the Queen to give up her resistance.

"Once upon a time in a kingdom..." – she started with a sigh, but almost immediately the little Prince interrupted her.

"… in the Ice Kingdom." – he corrected her.

Helena nodded and continued.

"In the Ice Kingdom, there was an Ice King, an Ice Queen an Ice Prince and two Ice Twins."

"… And a Rachel." – added Robert.

Her mother approved the change and she began to tell the tale:

"One day, the Ice Prince, the Ice Queen and Rachel decided to travel around the kingdom to show the country to the Ice Prince and present him to the people… the snow goblins. The Prince was very excited and the snow goblins were looking forward to meeting him as well. They passed through snow-covered hills and valleys until there was only one mountain to cross before they reached the village of the goblins. The Ice Prince, the Ice Queen and Rachel were about to climb it when… when an ugly beast attacked them."

Robert had some pretty specific ideas regarding the story, so once again he interrupted her mother:

"No." – he protested. – "It was the seven-headed dragon who spat fire on them."

Helena wanted to get over with the story and she didn't appreciate her son's behaviour very much.

"Fine." – she remarked resentfully. – "The seven-headed dragon spat fire on them and the Ice Prince and the Ice Queen melted."

"Nooo!" – cried Robert who didn't like this turn of events. – "They didn't melt, they slayed the dragon with a sword."

"Then what?" – asked Helena giving over the control to her son.

"They escaped and they saved the snow goblins." – said Robert with ease because for him it was the clearest thing in the world. Just to make sure that his mother got it as well, he added: – "And then everybody was happy."

"And then everybody was happy." – repeated the Queen and she was relieved that the story finally ended. However, she suddenly had an idea: – "But the Ice Queen was afraid that other dragons would come after them and asked the snow goblins to hide her and her children. They all stayed in the valley and lived there for the rest of their lives."

Prince Robert frowned.

"What about the Ice King?" – he asked in confusion.

"He must stay in the Palace and rule the kingdom." – Helena answered in mock ease. – "But the Ice Prince can go to see him any time."

Robert shook his head and announced the verdict.

"This is silly. We can't live with the goblins. I want to stay here."

"Of course." – the Queen mumbled and she kissed her son on the top of his head. – "I'm sorry. The next time I let Katie finish her story."

* * *

The encounter with the children made it clear to Helena what she had to do. Five minutes later she found herself knocking on Rachel's door. At the moment it opened, she gave the order:

"Give me your car keys."

"My car keys?" – the assistant asked in shock.

"Yes. Not that you need it right now…" – the Queen remarked, looking at Rachel's arm which was still in a cast.

Rachel shrugged and took the requested item out of her pocket.

"I call your security detail." – she said as she handed the keys over to Helena.

The Queen shook her head.

"It's not necessary. Which car is yours?"

"A silver Toyota." – replied her assistant, who already regretted to lend her car so easily to the Queen. – "Where are you going?"

Helena smiled at her.

"Are you worried about me or your car?"

"Both, to be honest." – Rachel remarked and she looked at the Queen with concern.

"It's better if you don't know." – replied Helena and she waved the keys in her hand. – "Thanks, anyway."

* * *

Rachel's car was a bigger mess than Robert's room on Boxing Day. There was a leather boot and a glossy black dress piled up on the passenger seat while the back seat was covered with stilettos and different kinds of riding equipment. The Queen didn't give much importance to these things as she started the engine and took the direction to East London. Thirty minutes later she stopped the car in front of a cottage with a large pot of daisies in the front yard. She walked up to the porch and, after a slight hesitation, rang the bell.

Alistair Lacey recoiled as he saw the Queen of England on his doorstep.

"Hellie, what are you doing here?" – he asked and nervously looked around the street.

Helena found out his thought and she replied his unspoken question:

"I'm alone."

Her lover stood aside to let her in while he remarked:

"You shouldn't be. Especially now, after the attack."

"They can't protect me." – answered the Queen with ease.

"Who?" – asked Alistair in confusion as he followed her with his eyes.

Helena went straight to the kitchen as if she lived there and came back with a bottle of scotch and two glasses. She poured a drink for both of them. She quickly downed hers and poured another one. She looked out the window and saw that it was raining outside.

"I love your house. It's very nice." – she remarked as she walked around the living room.

"You picked the furniture…" – remembered Alistair.

The Queen let out a small laugh and she turned back to him.

"So it only reflects my taste and not yours?" – she asked in mock resentment in her voice.

Alistair stepped closer and put his arms around her.

"Your taste is perfect for me." – he said and kissed her. – "I wouldn't change a thing."

Helena pulled away from him so she could look him in the eyes as she spoke:

"I imagine what it would be like if I lived here too… Do you remember that supermarket back home? We always went there shopping before our little picnics. It could be like that. Living together, it would be like that."

"Yes, it could be…" – Alistair agreed with a dissatisfied sigh.

"No, you don't understand." – protested the Queen while she poured another drink. – "It could be, it can be like that, Alistair."

The man next to her frowned in puzzlement.

"Why are you saying that? What is going on with you?"

His lover didn't answer him. She took a sip of her whisky and she just looked at him for a while.

"Can you protect me?" – she finally asked.

"What?" – Alistair cried in shock.

"Answer me! Can you protect me? " – Helena demanded again, more urgently because even if he did not know yet, that was the reason she came to see him.

"Yes." – Alistair mumbled, still trying to follow her train of thought and find out why she became suddenly so upset.

Apparently, Queen Helena didn't hear his answer or wasn't satisfied with it because she repeated her question again:

"Can you protect me and my children?"

"Your children?" – her lover asked back in confusion.

"Yes, the ones you were so eager to meet. – Helena replied scornfully, then she added: – "Now you don't want them anymore, do you?"

Alistair looked at her with concern. She poured another glass of scotch, he lost count of how many drinks she had.

"You are drunk, I don't understand a word you are saying." – he remarked sadly and took the glass away from her.

"You would love them, I know you would." – insisted the Queen with tears in her eyes. – Especially the twins since they…"

Alistair couldn't bear to see her like that and he interrupted her:

"Hellie, please. Why don't you just tell me what is going on?"

Helena winced at the sound of thunder and sank into a chair next to her.

"It all happened because of me." – she whispered and buried her face in her hands. – "The attack, it all happened because of me. I have enemies everywhere."

"They caught the man, he is in prison now. It's over." – Alistair said softly and knelt beside her.

The Queen lowered her hands and let out a nervous sigh.

"No, it's not. I have to tell you something. Do you remember that girl who died on our farm?" – she asked and she took a deep breath. – "That girl was Simon's fiancee and my mother killed her."

Alistair shook his head in disbelief.

"That is not possible. It was an accident, we all saw it."

"It wasn't. She drugged the horse so I would become the Queen." – Helena continued her confession. She stood up and paced the room nervously. – "And now my children are in danger. That is why I have to leave. I will leave the King and I will be with you again. As I should. As I always should have. Do you want that?"

"No." – came the firm answer from him.

Helena stopped and looked at him in surprise.

"No?" – she asked back.

Alistair walked over to her and put his arms tightly around her.

"I love you and I want to be with you more than anything, but not like that." – he whispered as if he was afraid that anyone could hear them. – "I don't want you to come here because you are afraid. I don't want you to choose me out of fear."

The Queen emerged from his embrace and roughly pushed him away.

"You are throwing away your chance for happiness." – she remarked objectively, without any emotion.

"Maybe. But I can't risk that you throw away yours." – answered Alistair with a sigh.

Helena acknowledged his words with a single nod, then she headed for the door. Alistair tried to stop her, but it was too late.

"Hellie, wait. You can't drive like that you drank too much." – he cried, but she was already outside. – "At least wait until the rain stops. Please, let me drive you back to the Palace."

"Wonderful idea! Let everybody see the Queen taken home by her lover. The people would be delighted. Especially the King." – cried back Helena in a sarcastic tone as she got in Rachel's car. – "Good night, Alistair!"

* * *

The rain was still pouring and Helena wanted nothing more than to be home already. She left the highway and chose a less busy side road to get to the Palace sooner. There was only one other car on the road behind her which was trying to overtake. It was a bunch of teenagers in there and the Queen didn't want them to recognize her so she sped up. The driver of the other car considered it a challenge and he also switched into higher gear. They were almost side-by-side when they noticed the red light and a pedestrian on the crossing. Helena slammed the brakes and she stopped a few yards away from her. The other car, however, couldn't brake in time and hit the woman.

The Queen heard their screams and watched as they drove off in panic without even looking at their victim. Helena quickly got out of the car and ran to the lying woman. She called an ambulance and stayed with her until the paramedics arrived.

When she finally got home, it was already late. Helena was relieved to think that her little outing remained a secret, but the next morning she was given a rather unexpected welcome.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning a very unexpected scene greeted the Queen as she sat at the breakfast table. The people around her looked like as they gathered for a spontaneous brunch. Except that nothing was spontaneous in the Palace.

"Good morning! Simon, Cyrus, Mother, Gloria, Rachel, Mr. Prime Minister…" – Helena looked at the uninvited guests in confusion. – "Is there a special occasion I don't know about?"

"You are the occasion, my love." – answered her husband with a troubled look on his face.

The PM cleared his throat as he prepared to ask the question they all waited for:

"Your Majesty! Would you mind filling us in on what happened yesterday?"

"After you came to see me…" – the Grand Duchess of Oxford added quickly.

The Queen frowned when she looked at her mother, but this was not the right time to contradict her.

"After I came to see you…" – she repeated to gain some time.

Lady Alexandra sensed what her daughter needed and she continued to speak:

"Yes. I got worried when you called me, Simon." – she said to her son-in-law. When she noticed the doubt in the King's eyes, she admitted: – "All right, I had some business in London, but my main reason was to check on Helena."

Queen Gloria snorted in disdain.

"Well, it wasn't so successful. Your daughter made a goddamn mess." – she remarked scornfully. – "That is not what you promised when she married my son. I should ask back all the money I gave you over the years."

"Enough! Stop it!" – King Simon cried.

"What? Killing someone is pretty much a deal breaker!" – the Queen Mother snapped at him.

Helena looked from one to another until now, but the last sentence caught her attention.

"She died?" – she asked curiously.

"No, but she is in a coma. Thanks to you." – came the snarky response from her mother-in-law.

The whole bizarre conversation finally made sense to Queen Helena.

"Wait! Why do you think that I…?" – she asked in surprise, then she quickly jumped to the most important part. – "I didn't hit her. It was a hit-and-run, but it wasn't me. I was just a witness. There was another car…"

Judging by the look in Lady Alexandra's eyes, Helena realized that she didn't convince everybody. She was proven right when the Duchess expressed her disbelief:

"Of course, the other car that nobody knows about… Unlike the lack of your bodyguards or your drunken call for the ambulance, which are widely known facts by now." – she hissed angrily.

"Well, it wasn't me and when she wakes up, she can prove it." – Helena replied with surprising ease.

"If she wakes up…" – King Simon remarked quietly.

The Queen looked at her husband, only to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"You don't believe me." – she cried in shock.

Simon gave her a bitter smile as he said exactly the same thing his wife used to say to him in their quarrels:

"It doesn't matter what I believe."

And Helena reacted exactly the same way as her husband used to react to that.

"It does matter to me." – she cried indignantly. – "I didn't hit that woman."

"But you drove drunk…" – remarked the King, loud and clear.

Helena didn't know what to say. She would have never expected him to humiliate her like this in front of others.

The Prime Minister was noticeably embarrassed both because of the situation and the things he was about to say, but he had to communicate the cabinet's position on the matter. He cleared his throat again to have everybody's attention.

"The government decided to dissociate itself from Her Majesty's case…" – he began and he wiped his sweaty forehead before he continued. – "…and we strongly advise the Royal Family to do the same as long as the investigation lasts."

"What do you suggest exactly?" – King Simon asked gingerly.

"Maybe Your Majesty could consider separating from the Queen and depriving her of her titles. Temporary, of course." – the PM replied in a stuttering voice.

Queen Helena put her teacup on the saucer with such force that it shattered into pieces. The Queen Mother briefly looked at her, then she turned to the Prime Minister. Her voice was firm and categorical, she seemed like the true matriarch of the family as she spoke:

"We appreciate your concerns, Sir, but my daughter-in-law is the Queen of England and the mother of the next king. As such, we all owe her respect and the presumption of innocence. We will officially support her version of the story until the opposite is proven."

Everybody at the table was under shock after her words. Finally, Helena broke the silence as she stood up.

"Well, if that is all…" – she started, expressing her intention to leave.

"Where are you going?" – King Simon asked in surprise.

His wife shrugged and looked around before she answered:

"To change my clothes. I have to be at the Royal Ascot in three hours."

She could see that the King didn't like her plans.

"I don't think you should go." – he said unwillingly.

Helena burst out laughing.

"In the past two weeks you _begged_ me to go out and now you forbid me…" – she said in a sarcastic voice.

Queen Gloria decided to intervene again.

"She is right. If she cancels it now, she will look guilty." – she remarked and after some consideration, she added: – "Take Robert with you as well, people can't think poorly of a mother."

* * *

Queen Helena headed to Robert's room to prepare him for the journey, but she was surprised by her brother-in-law.

"I will ask you this once so you'd better listen." – came the warning from Prince Cyrus which was quickly followed by a question. – "Do you want that woman to wake up?"

The Queen frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean?" – she asked, puzzled.

The Duke of York stepped closer to her and whispered in her ears:

"Just say the word and she won't."

Helena quickly backed away from him.

"Cyrus! You are talking about murder!" – she hissed in a tone filled with disgust.

"Desperate times call desperate measures." – Cyrus remarked indifferently and shrugged his shoulders.

The Queen shook her head.

"No. And I don't want to hear this ever again." – she said firmly. – "Besides, I told the truth. I want her, I need her to wake up. If you can help with that, it would be really useful."

* * *

On their way to Ascot, the Queen couldn't hold back her bitterness anymore and exclaimed to Rachel.

"He just let him talk about me like a chess figure. What kind of a husband is that? Like the PM could have any right to decide about my marriage, my life…"

Prince Robert, who sat next to his mother in the car, quietly remarked:

"You are not a chess figure."

"I'm certainly not." – Queen Helena agreed.

"The chess queen is much thinner." – her son finished his previous thought.

The Queen didn't know whether to laugh or cry, then she decided on laughing.

"Really, Robert? Thank you very much!" – she replied in mock anger, then she playfully scolded her son: – "It's not nice to say this to a woman."

Prince Robert looked up to her in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because women want to be thin." – came the simple answer.

Robert seemed to think about it, then he asked again:

"Why?"

His mother, as always, answered him honestly:

"Because they think men would like that."

"Does dad like that?" – he asked curiously.

"Right now I'm not sure what he wants. He and the Prime Minister…" – Helena sighed. – "But the funny thing is that they just made me want to be Queen more than ever."

Shortly after, they arrived at the racecourse, where the manager showed them the competing horses.

"Do you like them?" – Queen Helena asked his son as she bent down to him.

"They are very nice." – answered Robert willingly.

The Queen led him to a gorgeous white horse and picked him up for a better look.

"Look at her." – she said to him. – "She is the sister of my horse, Hippolyta."

As he heard the word 'sister', the little Prince cried out over-excitedly:

"Like Lenny!"

"Yes, like Eleanor to you and Liam." – Helena confirmed it with a smile and she kissed his cheek.

The manager 's voice interrupted the intimate moment.

"Would you like to bet on her, Your Majesty?" – he asked politely.

"I never bet on my own horses, you know that, Mr. Hamilton." – the Queen answered in a reprimanding tone, then she turned to her son. – "Which one is your favourite, Robert?"

Prince Robert pointed at a proud black horse in the corner of the barn.

"Excellent choice, Your Highness!" – said the manager. – "Her name is Hope and she is one of the favourites."

They left the stables and took their seats in the Royal Box. As they waited for the race to start, the Queen and Rachel both agreed that Robert couldn't be any cuter in his suit and top hat.

"What now?" – the little Prince asked impatiently.

"Now we watch her and root for her to win." – answered his mother.

At that moment, the race finally began and a couple of minutes later it was over.

"Did she win? Did she win?" – Robert cried excitedly.

Helena waited for the official announcement before she replied.

"Yes, darling, she won." – she said happily and surprised. – "You brought my luck, I never won before."

* * *

\- _BBC NEWS AT SIX_ _O'CLOCK_ -

 _JULIA:"Good evening! Today was the first day of the Royal Ascot. Although the race looked promising, the main question was, whether the Queen would attend the event this year as usual. This morning, a photograph of Her Majesty at the scene of a car accident, and an emergency call recording were leaked to the public. The Palace's short statement says that the Queen witnessed a hit-and-run yesterday and did what anyone would have done in this situation: she called the ambulance. Royalty doesn't absolve you of your duty as a responsible citizen. Though, it doesn't explain why Queen Helena left the Palace without security details, where she went or if she was under the influence of alcohol at the time in question. I turn to our correspondent in Berkshire. Hello, Tom!"_

 _TOM:"Hello Julia! Yes, the morning news indeed gave us some reason to speculate here on the Ascot Racecourse. Fortunately, Queen Helena arrived with her eldest child, Prince Robert and this was very reassuring for everyone."_

 _JULIA:"What was she like?"_

 _TOM:"She was very nice. It looked like they enjoyed themselves with Prince Robert, they even bet on a horse called Hope."_

 _JULIA:" 'Hope for the best'? or 'Hope for getting away with it'?"_

 _TOM:"For what it is worth, Julia, she didn't seem guilty to me. She was fabulous as usual, she was lovely with her son and as for the emergency call, I couldn't say that she was drunk. I listened to the recording, it seemed more like the voice of a scared woman to me, which is absolutely normal in this situation."_

 _JULIA:"I wish you were right, Tom. However, you have to admit that this past year wasn't an easy one for her. She had two babies right after she was crowned Queen, then there was the kidnap attempt… People already see her as a national hero. Is it possible that Queen Helena saved two lives in almost two weeks or she finally broke under the pressure and made a serious mistake?"_

"Bullshit! No one cares that the bloody horse actually won the race." – hissed Helena and turned off the TV.

She didn't notice that her husband stood in the door for a while.

"We didn't have time to speak this morning." – he said softly.

"Your silence was eloquent enough." – answered the Queen resentfully as she looked up to him.

King Simon sighed and sat beside his wife on the sofa.

"I'm afraid it wasn't. I know you didn't hit that woman."

"She woke up?" – asked Helena hopefully.

"No, but I know you told the truth." – Simon replied and put his hand on hers.

Queen Helena pulled away her hand and stood up.

"Well, it took only a day." – she remarked uninterested.

"I was angry with you. I am angry with you." – the King cried to his wife who stood at the window, with her back to him. – "Not because I didn't believe you, but because you were drunk. And you went out without a security detail. How could you do that right now?"

Helena turned back and looked him in the eyes as she said:

"It won't happen again, I swear."

It wasn't the answer Simon expected.

"I feel responsible. Maybe I didn't pay enough attention to you…" – he started, but the Queen interrupted him.

"Please, Simon." – she said and walked over to him.

"I wish you would trust me and know that I'm here for you." – the King mumbled.

"I know." – Helena whispered back and stroked his cheek.

The Queen could see that something still bothered her husband.

"What is it?" – she asked.

Simon hesitated before he answered.

"The Prime Minister…" – he began, but Helena stopped him again.

"We have to take him seriously." – she said with her signature pragmatism. – "The Queen must be irreproachable. If the woman dies before she could clear my name, I will be linked to this case forever. You will have no choice, but to divorce me."

The King was always impressed that his wife could talk about her own life with such objectivity as about the weather. However, he was a man of emotions, that is why they complemented each other so well.

"Out of the question. What I tried to say to you is that the PM doesn't and can't have any control over our private life." – he said firmly, then he added. – "If the people don't want their Queen, they don't need their King either. We are a team, Helena."

Simon could see that the shock was written all over his wife's face.

"I... I don't know what to say…" – began the Queen, who couldn't help thinking how wickedly she betrayed this alliance just a day before. – "We are a team, but the throne is Robert's birthright. I would never let you choose me over him."

King Simon accepted this argument, but he was disappointed.

"Fair enough, but what about you? Would you choose me over my crown?"

The King never got an answer for this question because at this moment his brother appeared in the room.

"She woke up." – Cyrus announced solemnly.

Simon could see the relief on Helena's face, but he didn't know what to attribute it to: the good news or the sudden luck that saved her from answering.

* * *

"Your Majesty?"

Ted Pryce's voice revived the King from his thoughts.

"Did you do what I asked?" – he asked uneasily.

The bodyguard silently nodded.

"The Grand Duchess arrived in London just this morning."

"She may have told the truth about the accident, but she lied about something after all." – Simon remarked bitterly.

He motioned to his security detail to continue with the information he learned.

"The Queen went to a private address in East London. The house belongs to a decorated war veteran named Captain Alistair Lacey. As for the nature of their relationship, he worked on her family's farm prior to your engagement. Then, he joined the armed forces and didn't return until…"

"That's enough. Thank you, Ted."

The King dismissed his bodyguard and headed for the tunnels to clear his head with a good walk in London.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

* * *

 _ **... 5 years later ...**_

* * *

"Check!" – cried Robert and attacked his mother's king with his knight.

Queen Helena smiled contentedly.

"Did you just sacrifice your best piece for an empty threat?" – she asked provocatively and captured her son's knight.

Prince Liam was sick, so Princess Eleanor played alone at the other side of the table with the fallen chess pieces.

"Here you are, darling." – Helena turned to her daughter. – "I got a horse for your queen. Now you can put her in a carriage or take her out riding."

"Thanks, Mom." – the little girl said happily and grabbed the white horse figure.

The Queen turned her attention back to the chess board, but her assistant burst into the room.

"I hope it's important, Rachel. I'm with the children." – Helena remarked without looking at the other woman.

"We have a problem." – Rachel answered the unasked question and handed the photocopy of a newspaper cover to the Queen.

She looked at it and almost screamed when she saw the Daily Mirror's headline:

" _ROYAL AFFAIR. – Magic mirror in my hand who's cheating at the Buckingham?"_

Eleanor ran over to them and tried to acquire the paper, but Rachel held it over her head so she couldn't reach it.

"What is it? What is it?" – the Princess asked impatiently because she had an instinctive interest in all the things they wanted to hide from her.

"Nothing." – her mother replied. – "I have to go."

Eleanor didn't take this news so well.

"No! You promised that you would stay until six!" – she screamed and she burst out crying.

She didn't understand why she bothered to learn how to read the clock if her mother just fooled her. She ran around the room, kicking the furniture and throwing chess pieces at everyone.

"Finish your tantrum, Eleanor or I won't tell a bedtime story tonight." – the Queen warned her daughter in a threatening voice.

However, the Princess didn't listen to her.

"You are a liar! Daddy never lies. I hate you!" – she shouted.

"Your father is not here so suck it up, Princess." – Helena replied scornfully.

She exchanged a meaningful look with her son who nodded in agreement. The Queen knew that she could always trust Robert to take care of his sister. He was able to work wonders when it came to calm her down.

* * *

"I can make a list of the best child psychiatrists in the country." – Rachel offered after they left the children's playroom.

Queen Helena could have killed her assistant with her eyes as she spoke to her:

"If I want to crush her spirit, I can do it without a shrink. Suggest something like this again and it will cost you your head. Understood?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, Your Majesty." – Rachel mumbled and gulped.

Helena nodded and focused her thoughts on their more urgent problem.

"What do we know about the article?" – she asked straightforwardly.

"It will be published tomorrow without names, but..." – the assistant started, but the Queen interrupted her.

"Magic mirror in my hand… It's the Evil Queen from Snow White. They are obviously talking about me. Who is their source?"

Rachel hesitated before she answered.

"Someone inside the Palace who allegedly promised them more details by the end of the week."

* * *

Helena didn't need much time to figure out, who was behind the scandalous article. She suspected that it had something to do with Cyrus and his new love interest, but she has never thought that he could go this far.

"You son of a bitch!" – she shouted as she stormed into her brother-in-law's room. – "What the hell were you thinking?"

Prince Cyrus didn't bother to get out of his chair as he replied:

"I see you got my message."

"Why?" – the Queen asked in shock.

Cyrus finally turned to her with a sneer.

"You lied to me. You promised that you would talk to Simon about Roger and me, but you never did."

Helena looked at him with sympathy. She really felt sorry, but she couldn't help him.

"You wish the impossible, Cyrus, you know that. Even I can't ask him for such favour." – she sighed.

"But I'm in love with him! And Roger loves me too!" – her brother-in-law cried out painfully.

The Queen got embarrassed by this genuine and unexpected confession.

"I'm sorry… but we have to put the monarchy first. You can't have an official relationship with a man. It must remain a secret." – she said softly, avoiding Cyrus' gaze. Then she added: – "I didn't talk to Simon because he would say the same."

Her brother-in-law realized that she was right, but he already made up his mind.

"The article will be published one way or another. You can convince Simon to give his blessing to my affair or yours will be on the front page."

Queen Helena's eyes widened in shock.

"I don't understand. Why do you punish me? Ruining my life, my family, it will get you nowhere." – she protested indignantly.

Cyrus shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't care. If I were you, I would hurry. The clock is ticking…" – he remarked with ease and gave Helena a triumphant smile.

* * *

Despite her earlier threat, Helena did check on her children before their bedtime. Due to Liam's illness, Eleanor temporary moved to Robert's room and now they had a slumber party. The Queen couldn't help herself appreciating the irony that they watched _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ when she got to their room.

"Where are you in the film?" – she asked the children and sat down at the edge of the bed.

"The Huntsman returned to the Queen with the heart, who thinks that it belongs to Snow White, but in fact there is a pig heart in the box." – her son replied willingly.

Eleanor was still angry with their mother and decided to ignore her presence. Robert, however, was too curious about what could have been the bad news, which made her mother practically run out of the room. So taking advantage of the unexpected situation, he gently asked her about it.

"Did you take care of the _problem_?" – he said, emphasizing the last word.

"What problem?" – Helena asked back in mock surprise.

Her son rolled his eyes and answered without words:

" _We don't lie to each other, Mom."_

The Queen sighed and pulled closer to Robert.

"Not yet." – she whispered in his ears, then she added: – "But I'll figure something out."

"As always." – Prince Robert remarked reassuringly.

His mother gave him a dim smile.

"As always." – she repeated, but this time she wasn't so sure about it.

Robert could see that she was in trouble, but he knew that it would be pointless to ask any more questions. Though she was always honest to him, it didn't mean that she shared everything with him.

* * *

The King returned three days later from his official trip and Helena didn't manage to come up with any reliable solution by then. She had ideas about threatening the editors of the newspaper or trying to pay them off, but she knew that it would be useless. Cyrus would go to another newspaper. There was no way that she could grant her brother-in-law his wish so she had no choice but to tell the truth to her husband. As much as she wanted to delay this moment, Helena knew that she couldn't waste any more time. She took a deep breath and went to look for him, silently praying not to find him with the children.

Not much to her surprise, he was in the kitchen, talking to his new _maid friend_. The King never made a secret of this hobby, he was proud that he cared about his people inside and outside the Palace walls. In the beginning, the Queen didn't mind it too much until these conversations were about insignificant things. However, thanks to the excellent spy work of the _Silent Marys_ , Helena recently found out that sometimes her husband shared more information with those girls – _they were always girls_ – than with his own wife. During the past year, it became a bad habit of hers to stand in the doorway and listen to them for a few minutes before she made her presence known.

She was about to do the same this time as well, when _Snow White_ came to her mind.

" _What if she just puts someone else's heart in the box?"_

And suddenly, it was like the universe was sending a message to her. Helena noticed a camera on the windowsill, left there by the photographer who came to take pictures of the Palace Gardens. At the same time, Simon stood up from his chair to hug the poor kitchen girl who had her birthday or her dead mother's birthday or something like that. The Queen knew that it was now or never. She grabbed the camera and captured the moment as the King of England wrapped his arms around a common maid.

* * *

"I hope you didn't start looking for a new job just yet." – Queen Helena greeted her assistant the next morning and handed over a newspaper to her.

It showed a picture of King Simon with one of their maids and there was a headline below with large letters: _THE KING'S MAIDSTRESS_

Rachel looked from the cover to the Queen in surprise.

"I'm going to rot in hell for this." – Helena remarked objectively.

Her assistant was still in shock, but she managed to regain her composure.

"You did it for the monarchy." – she said with ease.

Queen Helena let out a bitter laugh.

"The monarchy, of course. Even if it was the truth, it wouldn't justify this." – she remarked sarcastically, then she added. – "Now get rid of it and remove every copy from the Palace before my children see it."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

The Queen didn't have to wait long for her brother-in-law to show up.

"Well played, Helena. Congratulations!" – he began scornfully. – "But I still have your story."

Helena put her hand on his shoulder and replied with a bittersweet smile.

"Unfortunately, it is not worth a damn now. The King is cheating on the Queen… and in case you don't want to believe, you have a picture of it. You can't possibly beat that. Certainly not with the Queen's alleged love affair…"

"Unless I have proof…" – Cyrus remarked with a sardonic grin.

Queen Helena knew his brother-in-law well enough to recognize his bluff.

"You don't have. No one has." – she firmly stated, then she suddenly turned angry. – "What do you think how stupid I am?"

Prince Cyrus, who put a great deal of work to find evidence for the Queen's affair, didn't want to let it go so easily.

"Where do you meet with him? It can't be the Palace. Maybe the countryside? Your mother's house!... Balmoral?..." – he asked eagerly.

Helena burst out laughing.

"Everywhere. We do it under your nose… in your room… on your bed and you don't notice." – she said sarcastically, then she added more seriously, in a threatening tone. – "I'm joking, obviously. Don't try me again, Cyrus, I warn you. And if you consider going public with your homosexual affair, be my guest. The minute you do this, you will lose all your titles and money, I will make damn sure of that."

Cyrus shook his head in anger mixed with wonderment. He had to admit that in this case the student surpassed the master.

* * *

Queen Helena stood on the balcony with a glass of scotch and watched the starry sky. She heard footsteps behind her back, signalling the approach of her husband.

"I assume you saw the papers. What should we do about it?" – he asked straightforwardly.

Helena didn't want to fight with him, but she knew she had to fake the huff. Though it wasn't too hard since she was indeed a bit offended.

"You should start by apologizing." – she remarked objectively.

"For what? I didn't cheat on you. Nothing happened." – King Simon snapped at her.

The Queen shook her head and looked straight into her husband's eyes.

"Nothing, really? You came home and the first thing you did was to rush to her."

"I went to see the children first." – the King replied apologetically like he was guilty. – "Then, I looked for you, but I didn't find you. I thought you were riding."

His wife smiled at him bitterly.

"Then, you went to her." – she said softly.

"We are friends..." – Simon started, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

"You shouldn't be. That's how the rumours and the headlines start." – Helena interrupted, then she added. – "It was a good picture. On the cover."

The King looked at him with surprise.

"How can you joke about this?" – he asked and he frowned.

"No, I mean it was taken by a good camera, probably a very expensive one." – the Queen explained. – "Not many people in this household can afford a professional camera."

King Simon let out a soft chuckle. He saw his wife's questioning gaze so he said out loud his thoughts:

"It seems like that the Agatha Christie book collection I gave you last Christmas really paid off."

Helena couldn't hold back a genuine smile.

"Yes, it proves to be useful in any situation." – she said flirtatiously. – "I will find the person responsible for this very soon or at least his dead body."

For a moment she forgot about their argument and kissed her husband.

"I hope the children won't find out about it." – Simon remarked gently after their lips parted.

"Me too." – Helena agreed softly, then she changed her tone. – "We have to shut down this story as soon as possible. It's damaging to our public image and if they keep coming after us..."

"Us?" – the King asked in surprise.

The Queen confirmed her words with a nod.

"Yes. They judge me as well. You are… you are just a man, but I'm the woman who can't satisfy the King of England."

"You know it's not true, right?" – her husband asked because Helena's voice sounded a bit too convincing.

"Of course." – she answered quickly, then she changed her mind. – "No, actually I don't know. Sometimes I wish it was true. You would have sex with a maid. Who cares? It wouldn't mean anything. But the thing is, Simon, that they are really your friends. You share your joy, your problems… your feelings with them and I feel…"

"What?"- the King asked eagerly.

Helena looked at him and she knew she said too much.

"Nothing. It's nothing, I'm sorry." – she mumbled, then she cleared her throat and continued in a more collected way. – "The point is that we need a lot of public appearances together. We need to be seen as a family, as a couple, more often so that the people could make sure that we are fine. That we are a team."

With these last words, she downed her drink and she was about to go back to the room, but her husband's voice stopped her:

"We are a team, Helena. And just so you know, I heard what you wanted to say to me."

* * *

No sooner the Queen got back to the room, followed by the King, she heard her daughter calling for her.

"Mum! Mum!" – Eleanor cried from the distance.

"We should seriously consider buying walkie-talkies to find each other." – Helena remarked to her husband, then she shouted back to the Princess. – "We are here."

The next moment the little girl was there, panting and flushed from running.

"What is a maidstress?" – she asked, gasping for breath.

A little later, her older brother appeared in the door, following his sister.

"I told you not to ask them." – he snapped at her angrily.

"But I want to know." – Eleanor snapped back, then she turned to her parents. – "Why is daddy's picture in the newspaper?"

Queen Helena looked at her husband, then she looked away.

"I will kill Rachel." – she mumbled.

Her daughter didn't hear or didn't care about her comment as she continued:

"I thought that only famous people are allowed to be in the newspaper. Does it mean that our maid is famous now? More famous than us?"

Helena let out a sigh of relief that the discussion took a less awkward turn.

"No, she isn't." – she reassured the little Princess.

"Then why her picture is bigger than mine?" – Eleanor inquired further since her picture was also on the cover along with the rest of her family.

Simon felt that he was the one who should handle this case and be the subject of her daughter's interrogation, but he didn't know what to say.

"Because she was with me." – he finally replied to the little girl.

"Why?" – came the next question from Princess Eleanor.

Robert saw his father's agony so he grabbed his sister's arm and tried to pull her away.

"Come on, Lenny, we know enough." – he whispered to her.

Obviously, Eleanor couldn't be convinced so easily. Her brother knew that and her mother knew that as well, but as long as they dealt with innocent questions she didn't mind. It was just a matter of time and patience.

"By accident. She was there when the picture was taken." – she replied with ease.

The Princess thought about it for a while, then she said:

"She shouldn't have to be."

"Yes, she shouldn't." – her mother agreed.

"Because she is not famous enough." – Eleanor added.

The King and the Queen were relieved.

"Exactly." – they said almost at the same time.

Their daughter, however, had more information than they thought.

"That is why people are angry with her." – Princess Eleanor remarked innocently.

Helena was about to confirm her words with a nod, then she realized what she just said.

"Who is angry with her?" – she asked nervously. – "Where did you hear that, darling?"

"Under the table." – answered the little girl, taking the question literally.

She managed to distract the Queen, who cried out angrily:

"What did I say about crawling on the dirty floor?"

King Simon was more concerned about their previous topic, so he diverted back the conversation in the right direction.

"What did they say?"

Eleanor smiled at her father and willingly repeated back to him what she heard earlier:

"A kitchen maid said that the King and Lucy will be in big trouble and she can't imagine how the poor Queen feels right now. And then another one said that the Queen is a bitch and she deserves this." – she said proudly, then she frowned. – "What do you deserve, Mom?"

Helena was caught off-guard by her question and suddenly she didn't know what to answer.

"Your mother deserves love and respect." – King Simon came to her rescue. – "If anyone says anything else, that person is lying."

"Sooo you are not angry with her?" – his daughter asked suspiciously.

"Absolutely not." – Simon reassured her.

Eleanor then turned to her mother and asked:

"And you are not angry with Daddy?"

The Queen shook her head.

"I'm not." – she replied and hugged the little girl.

"Good." – Eleanor remarked, still in her mother's arms, then she decided to change the subject. – "Can I show you my painting?"

"Sure. Where is it?" – her mother asked curiously.

The Princess smiled sardonically which only his brother could see.

"In the kitchen. I did it with whipped cream." – she said proudly.

"Eleanor!" – Helena cried out and backed away from her daughter.

The King, however, only laughed about that and followed the little girl happily as she ran toward the kitchen. Helena and Robert were left alone in the room, lost in thoughts.

"Are you all right, Mom?" – the Prince asked after a while.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" – his mother asked back with ease.

Robert wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer, but he needed to know.

"What happened between Dad and that maid?"

Helena felt incredibly guilty. That was the situation she wanted to avoid at all cost.

"Nothing. It was just a misunderstanding." – she replied and looked straight into her son's eyes. – "The newspaper wanted a story so desperately that they published a lie that someone sold them."

"Do you believe this?" – Robert asked and the Queen could see that he wasn't fully convinced.

"Yes. People will talk, but we know the truth and this is the only thing that matters." – she said confidently and she stroked her son's hair. – "So please, give more credit to your father, Robert. He is a very, very good man."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

 **A.N. Simon doesn't know that Helena took the picture of him and the maid. When he said 'I heard you', he meant that he heard her untold words and understood her problem. Sorry if it wasn't clear. My English is still not the best.**

* * *

Queen Helena and King Simon sat at opposite heads of the breakfast table while Prince Robert sat next to his mother. Unlike his siblings, nine-year-old Robert was allowed to eat with his parents, though it wasn't as exciting as the twins imagined.

A group of shouting protesters gathered at the gates, their voice came through the windows. The Queen let out a nervous sigh, then she looked at her husband who buried himself in his newspaper.

"They are here for three days. When will they stop already?" – Helena asked, taking a sip from her tea.

King Simon looked up from his newspaper as he replied:

"I don't think it will happen soon. They organized a demonstration Monday…" – he began, then he added: – "Not here, don't worry."

The Queen was visibly relieved.

Robert tried to follow the conversation of the adults, but he didn't really understand the situation.

"Why are they protesting?" – he asked in confusion.

"Health care, pensions… Not that we could do anything to help." – came the answer from his mother.

"You told them plain enough." – the King remarked.

The Queen snorted derisively.

"Maybe you should talk to them since you are such a fan of the commoners." – she said scornfully.

The young Prince felt the tension between his parents so he spoke again.

"What if our staff wants to go to the demonstration? How are we going to go on a vacation then?" – he asked.

Helena let out a short laugh.

"You don't have to worry about that, darling. They are too well-paid to do so. Besides, I already told them that nobody will get a day off until this nonsense is over."

Robert hesitated for a while, then he turned to his mother:

"They should have the opportunity to go if they want to…"

The Queen was a bit surprised, but she was also proud of her son. Despite this, she wanted to remind him of the negative consequences of this protest, for example the cancellation of their family holiday, but she was interrupted by the arrival of her assistant.

"Your Highness!" – began Lucius, then he walked over to Queen Helena. – "I'm sorry to bother you, Your Majesty, but Princess Eleanor refuses to get dressed."

Helena rolled her eyes and snorted in disbelief.

"Bring her here, please. Thank you, Lucius!"

A moment later, a bodyguard entered the dining room with a kicking Princess on his shoulder whom he put down carefully next to the Queen.

"Good God! You could have dressed her up first." – said Helena as she looked at her daughter who wore nothing, but her pajama top.

"I think we came full circle." – King Simon remarked with a dim smile.

Feeling that all the attention is on her, Eleanor decided to continue her little show.

"Your Majesty!" – she said very seriously and curtsied to her mother.

The Princess was prepared to be scolded, but her parents and her brother burst out laughing.

"That was a perfect curtsy." – the Queen remarked with surprise. – "Where did you learn that?"

"From the maids." – the little girl replied proudly.

"Well, you are allowed to serve me my tea any time." – Helena said to her daughter and caressed her cheek.

Of course, she was joking, but Eleanor saw the potential in her unwary statement.

"Really? Can I do it now?" – she asked, overjoyed.

Helena didn't suspect anything so she let her do it. The little Princess poured the tea and the milk in her mother's teacup, but in an unguarded moment, she grabbed the orange juice and the salt cellar and put their content to the mix as well.

"Eleanor!" – cried her mother when she saw what she had done. – "I won't drink that."

"You must! You promised!" – demanded the little girl.

Helena shook her head.

"No. I said you could serve my tea, I didn't say I would drink it."

"Then I won't dress up." – Eleanor insisted.

King Simon could see his wife's hesitation. He could tell that it wasn't a good idea letting their six-year-old daughter have it her way, but Helena always stood for fast and spectacular results instead of consistent parenting.

"If I drink this, you will put on the dress I choose for you and you keep it on until I say so." – Helena finally said, sincerely hoping that her daughter wouldn't find a loophole.

Eleanor frowned, then she shook her head.

"I only wear pants." – she said with ease.

"Out of the question." – protested her mother.

The Princess had another idea:

"Weeell, if I can put the pepper in it…" – she started, but the Queen interrupted her.

"Fine. Just do it." – she said angrily.

Eleanor dispersed a great amount of pepper into her mother's teacup, then she gave it to her. The Queen looked at it with disgust.

Simon and Robert saw her discouragement and began to chant:

"Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Helena downed the mixture and her face twisted into a grimace.

"Your turn." – she said to her daughter, then she added: – "And Eleanor! Don't tell this to Liam!"

"Okay." – answered the little Princess and kissed her mother on the cheek.

* * *

"I swear, Liam. You tell her that you don't want to dress up and she will drink whatever you make." – Princess Eleanor said to her twin after she got back to her room.

"But I don't want to be naked." – Liam whined.

Eleanor shrugged her shoulders.

"If it was easy, she wouldn't let you put pepper and juice in her tea…"

Liam's eyes widened in amazement.

"Pepper and juice? And she drank it?" – he asked.

"The whole thing. In front of Dad and Robert and Hagrid and Mark and Lucius and Horseface Lisa… But she probably wouldn't do it for _you_ anyway so…"

It was enough for Liam to get so jealous and excited that he threw off his clothes and rushed into the dining room.

* * *

"I won't drink it." – Queen Helena cried out as soon as she saw her younger son.

Thanks to Eleanor, Liam was prepared for this scenario and he said what he was taught by his sister:

"I want to wear a skirt."

"Don't be ridiculous, Liam. You are a boy. Boys can't wear skirts." – Helena replied angrily.

She looked impotently at her husband, but the King only shrugged his shoulder. Robert, however, decided to help his brother's case.

"In Scotland, the boys wear skirts too." – he remarked with a sardonic grin.

Helena looked at him reproachfully. From him, she didn't expect a betrayal like this.

"Whatever." – she said resignedly and handed over her teacup to Liam.

However, no one was prepared for what happened next. They expected Eleanor to be more resourceful, but they forgot the fact that Liam was a boy.

"Worm! This was a bloody worm!" – screamed the Queen and jumped up from her seat. – "Go to your room, right now! And you can forget about the zoo!"

"But they named it after me and Lenny…" – he cried with tears in his eyes.

"I don't care. We'll go without you."

Eleanor, who watched her brother from the doorway, now ran into the dining room and tried to make the things all right.

"Please, Mommy, don't punish, Liam! It was all my fault." – she begged. – "I will be good, I promise. I will be good the whole day, just let Liam come to the zoo with us."

Helena sighed. She knew she couldn't let them get away with it.

"All right. One of you can come and the other stays at home. You decide." – she said with ease, then she sent the twins back to their room.

King Simon watched the scene in silence, but now he couldn't help saying something:

"You punish them for your mistake." – he remarked objectively.

"Yeah, Mum. It was mean." – added Robert.

Queen Helena looked from one to the other, then she gave up her resistance.

"Just one hour. Let them think of what they did, then you can rescue them and we will all go to the zoo."

Prince Robert ran over to his mother and hugged her tightly.

"You are the best. Thank you, Mom."

* * *

The twins were overexcited when they arrived at the zoo and they could hardly wait for the opening ceremony to end so they could see the animals. The manager of the new _Prince & Princess Zoo_ gave an exclusive tour for the Royal Family. He even let the children in some of the cages to caress the animals.

"We provide the best possible circumstances for them. Our residents have bigger space than in any other zoo and their food is coming from overseas…" – the manager explained to the Queen who listened to him with a polite smile.

Prince Robert walked beside them, while King Simon and the twins rushed forward to see the Africa House.

"Look, Robbie!" – Princess Eleanor cried when her brother and mother caught up with them. – "He is eating from my hand."

Her brother looked at her as she offered a carrot to one of the giraffes who wrapped his tongue around it and snatched it out of her hand. Robert turned his attention to his father who fed another giraffe in the same way.

"There is another one who seems hungry." – Queen Helena remarked when she saw her son's hesitation.

Prince Robert didn't need more persuasion after he got his mother's permission. He ran over to the carrot bucket and gave a piece for the third giraffe.

The Queen was left alone with their guide who spoke about his recent study on animal droppings. She was truly grateful for her daughter to call out for her and interrupted the manager.

"Mum! Liam doesn't dare to feed the giraffe." – Eleanor tattled to her mother.

"That's not true!" – her twin protested, but his behaviour told otherwise.

Helena walked over to her younger son and bent down to him:

"What is the matter, darling?" – she asked softly, so no one could hear them.

"She pushed me." – Liam complained and pointed at a giraffe.

His mother hugged him and rubbed his cheek.

"It wasn't very nice of her, but I'm sure she didn't do it on purpose." – she said kindly, then she added: – "What do you say I go there with you and we give her a carrot together. She sure doesn't dare to knock down the Queen, does she?"

Liam shook his head.

"No. She doesn't." – he agreed and let his mother lead him to the giraffe in question.

* * *

Queen Helena wanted to make the most of their visit so she arranged a special photo shoot in the zoo. The images were intended to appear on stamps and the Queen commissioned a calendar as well to support disadvantaged children with the income.

Therefore, every member of the family could choose an animal to be photographed with. Princess Eleanor was so happy that she couldn't decide. Finally, she was captured with a baby elephant who playfully wrapped his trunk around her body. Robert wanted to choose an eagle, but his mother was against it because of its controversial historical background, so he posed with a cockatoo on his shoulder, which made him look like a pirate. On another picture, Queen Helena was cuddling an ocelot whose blue eyes matched hers, while her husband's photo showed the King sitting on a bench with a chimpanzee "talking about" the big problems of the world. Prince Liam chose the petting zoo as a venue where he was photographed with a lamb and a little bunny.

* * *

The 'Mop Revolt', as Queen Helena called it, was in full swing when they got back to the Palace. The majority of their employees expressed their wish in a form of a petition to participate in the demonstration on Monday. The Queen was about to threaten to fire them, but King Simon gave his permission.

"You know that you just sabotaged our holiday." – Helena said reproachfully to her husband.

Simon shrugged his shoulders.

"I apologize to everyone, but this was the right thing to do."

Eleanor and Liam, who sat with their father, now both slid off his lap and rushed to their mother. Helena couldn't help enjoying the support of the twins who were always on Simon's side. However, the King managed to change the situation.

"Maybe we could go without them." – he suggested with ease.

"Alone. With no servants at all." – Queen Helena cried in shock.

Princess Eleanor looked from her mother to her father and frowned.

"Who is going to take care of us?" – she asked.

"Your mother…" – King Simon replied without hesitation.

Eleanor and Helena looked at each other and they burst out laughing. Robert was the first to realize that his father was serious.

"You mean the whole day for a week?" – he asked him in disbelief.

Simon smiled reassuringly at him, then turned to his wife and daughter.

"Yes. So girls… what is it going to be?"

"No girls! I'm the only girl who will decide it." – the Queen snapped at her husband.

She wished she wouldn't have said that because now all eyes were fixed on her.

"Take your time. But just to remind you, we will soon have our anniversary… and Robert's birthday…" – King Simon argued in a playful tone. – "Wouldn't it be nice to have some privacy?"

Helena knew already that she lost against her husband. However, he put a bug in her ear with the idea of a little privacy after ten years. This was something even the Queen couldn't resist, but of course she would have never admitted it.

"All right. If you all want this…" – she said in mock disappointment. – "But don't blame me if it is horrible."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

 _Airport, Cote d'Azur, France_

"Seriously? None of you have a driver's licence. What the hell were you thinking?" – Queen Helena shouted at the four frightened bodyguards.

"I switched my shift with Bobby. He was the one who should have escorted you." – stuttered the first one.

"I just started this job for three weeks…" – said the other.

"I will call Mr. Pryce and he will send a driver right away. He can be here by evening." – the third man tried to correct their mistake.

Seeing the Queen's gaze, the fourth one didn't dare to open his mouth.

"We have our car, we have our holiday home. The only question is how can we get there?" – Helena summed up the situation. – "Because you can't expect the Royal Family to call a bloody taxi, can you?"

The King and the children stood beside her with the luggage and watched the scene in silence.

"We could fly over the villa and jump out of the plane by parachute." – Princess Eleanor suggested.

"Yeah. That would be cool." – her brother, Prince Robert cried with enthusiasm.

Their mother, however, didn't appreciate the idea.

"Just shut up!" – she hissed impatiently. – "If you can't come up with a normal solution, we all go home."

King Simon cleared his throat to end the quarrel.

"What about you, my love?" – he asked the Queen.

Helena looked at him with surprise and said:

"I'm thinking too, of course. Since we came this far I don't wa…"

"No, I mean you have a driver's licence." – the King interrupted her.

"I hope you are not serious." – his wife snapped at him. – "I haven't driven for… for five years. And you know what happened the last time I did."

Simon spread his arms helplessly.

"I know, but I really can't think of any other option."

* * *

The ride was a far cry from smooth. Queen Helena understandably had problems with the large SUV and the right-hand traffic.

"Stupid wanker!" – she cried out after a car from the opposite direction passed inches away from them.

King Simon quickly turned around to the children who travelled in the passenger area.

"You didn't hear that."

"Come on!" – Helena rolled her eyes. – "Did you see that?"

"You were on the wrong side." – Simon mumbled, but he immediately regretted his words when he saw his wife's expression.

"What are you talking about? I'm the only one on the right side." – the Queen snapped at him.

The King couldn't hold back a soft chuckle.

"Except that we are in France." – he remarked.

Helena wanted to get back to him, but her security detail interrupted them.

"Next turn to the left, Your Majesty." – he said willingly with a map in his hands.

However, it was already too late.

"You missed it." – King Simon turned teasingly to his wife.

"Really? Do you want to drive?" – Helena asked angrily because she didn't find it so funny.

"I'm sorry. You are doing great." – the King apologized, then he whispered in her ears: – "And you are bloody sexy."

The Queen glanced at him for a moment before she turned back her attention to the road.

"You just say it." – she remarked with a dim smile. Then she felt her husband's hand on her thigh moving upwards. – "No, no, no… Simon, stop it! I can't… It's not like in the movies, I have to concentrate."

King Simon surprised himself by being so turned on from the sight of his wife driving a car. After ten years they had their differences, but he had to admit that she was still the most attractive woman he has ever seen.

"Just wait until we arrive at the villa." – he whispered again.

"With the children." – Helena sighed resignedly.

Simon shook his head in discontentment.

"Now I regret that we don't have the nannies with us."

"I bet you do." – Queen Helena remarked with a flirty smile and took his hand in hers.

* * *

Of course the first thing the children wanted to do was go to the beach. It was half past twelve and the sun was burning hot. The Royal Family was sitting under a large umbrella in the sand, surrounded on four sides by their bodyguards. The Queen thoroughly smeared sunscreen on her children and her husband, then tossed the bottle to her security detail.

"If you want to stay there in that position the whole time, you will need it." – she said to him with a smile.

The bodyguard was surprised by her sudden familiarity, but he took her advice and put some cream on his shoulder and body.

"He looks funny." – Prince Liam said as he glanced at the man.

Helena also looked in his direction and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it's a bit odd. Your father asked them to wear civil clothes so that we could stay unnoticed."

"How?" – the little boy asked in confusion because 'unnoticed' was the last word he could think of when someone talked about his family.

His father pulled closer to him and pulled him down on his lap in an unguarded moment.

"So far so good. Nobody recognized us." – he whispered in his ears.

"Yet." – the Queen remarked softly because she was more skeptical about this plan.

They were only lucky because of their timing. In the southern region of France people took siesta time very seriously. Early in the afternoon, very few were at the beach.

The King could see his wife's concerns and he hoped that he could make her forget them.

"Don't think about that. We are undercover now." – he said to her and kissed her cheek.

Robert, always been interested in a good spy story, liked his father's idea.

"So who are we?" – he asked eagerly.

"I'm a paramedic. With a helicopter." – King Simon replied with ease.

The Queen raised her eyebrows. She was equally surprised by the response itself and its rapidity.

Her husband caught her eyes and asked curiously:

"What would _you_ be?"

Helena shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. I always regretted that I didn't go to university, so I guess I would be a student."

The three children stared at their mother like she was some kind of freak.

"You want to go to school?" – Eleanor asked in shock.

"This officially makes you the most horrible person on earth." – Robert added jokingly.

If it had been anyone else than Robert, the Queen would have been boiling with rage. But it was Robert so she turned in his direction and began a sudden tickle attack on him.

"Because… being… a pirate… is a much… better… life goal, isn't it?" – she asked playfully.

"I wasn't going to say pirate!" – the Prince protested.

"Yes, you were." – her mother insisted and laughed at him.

Five minutes later they were all in the water. Eleanor and Liam with their arm floats, splashing water to everyone while the others played with a beach ball.

"Can I go swimming?" – Robert asked after a while.

Of course, he wasn't allowed to go alone, so the Queen was about to go with him, but Princess Eleanor interrupted them.

"Where are you going?" – she asked reproachfully.

"Swimming." – came the answer from her mother and brother.

They could see that Eleanor didn't like the idea of being left out of something.

"I want to go too." – she said firmly.

"You can't, darling. You are too young for it." – her mother explained patiently. – "You stay here with your father and we will be back soon."

The Princess was on the verge of a tantrum, but her father's words seemed to calm her down.

"I think we should stay together." – he said conciliatory.

"And I don't think that we should do everything she says. If Robert wants to swim, he…" – Helena hissed angrily, but her son stopped her.

"It's okay, Mum. I can stay here with Lenny." – Prince Robert said and smiled at his sister.

"I will make it up to you, darling." – the Queen promised and hugged her son.

After they got out of the water, Liam and Robert decided to build a huge sandcastle. Eleanor was so tired that she almost immediately fell asleep on the beach towel between her parents.

"I admit, it wasn't your worst idea to come here incognito." – Queen Helena remarked to her husband after they got out of the water.

"It wasn't my worst idea?!" – King Simon cried out in disbelief. – "Come on, Helena! I'm a genius."

The Queen looked at him with a sudden seriousness in her eyes.

"You really are. I'm sorry if it doesn't always seem like I appreciate it. Because I do."

"I can't believe it has been almost ten years." – the King mumbled, lost in thoughts.

His wife smiled at him.

"Ten years of marriage, three children, one kingdom… We are not doing so bad." – she remarked in a playful tone.

King Simon let out a soft chuckle.

"No, we are not." – he agreed.

Helena put her hands around his neck and leaning over their daughter, she gave him a long kiss. That was the moment when they heard the clattering sound of flashing cameras.

"Goddamn it!" – the King cursed between his teeth.

The Queen pulled away from him and quickly grabbed her beach scarf to cover her bikini body.

"At some point you have to wake up from every dream." – she remarked sarcastically as she watched her security detail escorting the paparazzo back to his car.

* * *

Later, when everybody was already asleep, the Queen sneaked in her son's bedroom.

"Robert! Are you awake?" – she whispered in the dark while she was trying to find her way to him.

"Mum? What is it?" – Prince Robert mumbled in a sleepy voice.

Helena finally managed to reach his bed.

"I go to swim. Do you come with me?" – she asked softly.

Robert rubbed his eyes and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand.

"Now?" – he asked in shock.

"This is the right time." – his mother reassured him. – "Your father is sleeping, the twins are sleeping…"

"The paparazzi are sleeping." – the young Prince added.

Queen Helena couldn't hold back a dim smile in the dark.

"You know me so well. So are you coming or not?" – she urged him.

She didn't have to say twice. He may did not show it completely, but Robert was more than excited about this adventure.

"Of course I am. Just give me a minute to get changed." – he said quickly and turned on the light.

"All right." – replied his mother and sat on the edge of the bed.

Robert cleared his throat as he said:

"I thought you would wait for me outside."

The Queen gave him a motherly smile.

"There is nothing there I didn't see before."

"Mum!" – Prince Robert cried indignantly. – "What matters is _when_ you saw it and not _what_ you saw. So please…?"

Helena, still with a grin on her face, shrugged her shoulders and left for the door.

"It goes without saying, this is our secret." – she looked back at her son. – "I don't want to get in trouble with your father."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Another challenge the Royal Family had to face on a vacation without their usual staff was to establish a proper schedule for themselves. Especially in the morning.

"I can't believe that there are only two bathrooms for four bedrooms. French people must really hate to shower." – Queen Helena remarked sarcastically.

King Simon, wrapped in a towel, knocked on the bathroom door.

"Eleanor, hurry up! We will be late." – he shouted.

"Please!" – Helena replied scornfully. – "I'm sure that a lowly diving instructor can wait for the British Royal Family a little bit longer."

The King couldn't help enjoying the situation what he imagined to be an everyday problem of normal people.

"You should be the last one. You are not even coming with us." – he said to his wife.

Helena didn't know how to react to that.

"Yes, but… I have things to do as well and… I'm a woman. Therefore, the bathroom is more important to me."

That was the only argument she could come up with, which made them realize that in fact, none of them was in an actual rush. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"I tell you what." – the Queen said after they waited for another five minutes. – "Why don't you go and use the downstairs bathroom?

Her husband gave him a puzzled look.

"But that one is for the security details!" – he protested. – "Why don't _you_ use it?"

Of course he already knew the answer to that. Helena didn't disappoint him as she reacted exactly the way he expected.

"I can't do that. I'm the Queen. I have to act like the Queen."

Simon nodded knowingly. He suppressed a smile and walked towards the stairs.

* * *

Soon after the King and her children left the villa, Queen Helena sat on the balcony with a glass of wine and a book. However, ten minutes later she noticed her younger son and his bodyguard coming back in the street.

"What happened?" – Helena asked in surprise.

"Prince Liam's nose began to bleed. They didn't let him dive." – the security detail answered, then he turned to the little Prince. – "Chin up, Your Highness! You can still have a nice day."

Queen Helena and King Simon agreed earlier that they both would get a day off without the children so she wasn't too happy that this accident ruined hers.

"Go back to your room, I'll figure something out." – she said uncertainly to her son, then she walked back to finish her drink on the balcony.

* * *

A few minutes later, she heard her phone buzzing. It was Alistair.

"Now it's not a good time." – the Queen whispered after she picked it up.

"You said you would be alone today." – her lover replied a bit reproachfully.

Helena let out a sigh. She carefully looked around, but both of the bodyguards who stayed in the house were downstairs. Only she and Liam were on the second floor.

"Well, I'm not." – she hissed angrily after she went to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

Alistair didn't know whether he was to blame for her anger or not, but he could feel the tension.

"What happened?" – he finally asked.

"Liam's nose was bleeding again. The instructor didn't allowe him to dive." – the Queen explained, annoyed.

"Poor kid." – Alistair remarked sympathetically.

Helena shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll have a big pool built for him in the garden with sea shells and algae and all that when we get home. He can practice scuba diving there."

Her lover cried out in shock:

"Wow! You seriously lost touch with the reality! You could feed a village with that much money. I bet you wouldn't even pass the milk test."

"Don't be ridiculous! I will always pass the milk test. It costs about 18 pence per litre." – the Queen replied resentfully. – "It sucks to be a farmer these days."

"Yeah." – Alistair agreed. Then, he suddenly had an idea. – "Listen, there is an Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, a half an hour drive from Nice, with big aquariums… It's like you were under the sea. Liam may would like it."

Queen Helena frowned in surprise.

"How do you know that?" – she asked with a puzzled look.

"One of my friends, John was there with his wife last summer." – he answered willingly.

The Queen shook her head in disappointment. She didn't imagine the day like this at all. She was not in the mood to spend half the day looking at fish."

"That sounds good. Thank you!" – she finally said, but she wasn't too convincing.

They both remain quiet for a while, then Alistair broke the silence.

"I saw the papers. It seems like you are having fun."

Queen Helena suddenly remembered the paparazzo on the shore who photographed her kissing Simon.

"Shit!" – she mumbled. – "I'm sorry… It just happened. I didn't know that someone was watching us."

"I don't mind. On the contrary." – Alistair replied happily.

"Really?" – the Queen asked back in shock.

Her lover let out a soft chuckle.

"Yes. Now the whole country is talking about how amazing you look. I can't help being a bit proud."

Helena began to understand that they were talking about two different things.

"What was exactly in the papers?" – she asked carefully.

"You. Kneeling in the sand. In a bikini. It's a beautiful picture. Maybe I will cut it out and hang on my wall." – Alistair answered playfully.

"Idiot." – the Queen said to him with a laugh and shook her head.

She was surprised that the newspaper chose that photo over the kissing one, but it was for the best. Maybe her bodyguard was more efficient or angry than she thought and managed to destroy the picture… or the photographer never had the chance to take it in the first place.

"I have to go." – she said after a moment.

She could hear her lover sighing.

"I miss you." – he mumbled.

"I miss you too." – the Queen whispered and hung up the phone.

* * *

Helena went straight to Liam's room.

"There is an Aquarium nearby. We can go to see it if you want." – she suggested to her son.

Liam didn't show much interest. He looked at her mother and shrugged. It was only when Helena was about to leave him when he asked:

"Is it big?"

"Very big." – the Queen replied, relieved. – "There are a lot of different sea animals. Your father and your siblings won't see so many kinds."

She could see that she had her son's attention.

"Then, we can cook something for dinner. What do you think?" – she added lightly.

Liam frowned and gave her a puzzled look.

"You can't cook." – he said firmly.

"How do you know?" – her mother asked back in mock resentment.

The little boy got a bit scared of her reaction and he looked down as he answered.

"Because you never cook." – he mumbled.

Helena didn't want to intimidate him so she walked over him and caressed his cheek.

"It doesn't mean that I can't give it a try." – she said gently. – "How hard can it be?"

"Very hard." – Liam remarked in a serious tone.

Her mother smiled at him as she echoed his last words:

"Very hard… I guess we will see about that." – she said, then she had an idea. – "Liam! Do you know how much a bottle of milk costs?"

The little Prince frowned, hearing the odd question and shook his head.

"Why? Should I?" – he asked in confusion.

"No, I was just curious. It's highly unlikely that you ever need this information." – the Queen remarked with confidence.

* * *

Making dinner together with Liam turned out to be a rash promise. Queen Helena had no idea how to cook. The last time she was in a kitchen for that reason she was eight years old. Thinking that her mother's attempt to marry her rich might fail, her grandmother decided to make a decent woman out of her. So she taught her how to skin a rabbit. That was the first and last cooking lesson Helena ever had.

Not sure how many rabbits she would find on the French Riviera, she asked Liam, who suggested lasagna for dinner. Lucky for them, their bodyguard, Ralph had an Italian grandmother who happened to have an excellent recipe. According to the protocol, Ralph was with them the whole time to taste every ingredient of the food for poison while his grandmother provided the Queen with instructions over the phone.

It was a very romantic afternoon. Prince Liam often remembered it later, on those occasions when he could have strangled his mother for something she did.

* * *

"We have seen clown fish… jellyfish… starfish… and a seahorse. He didn't look like a horse at all." – Princess Eleanor told her mother and her twin about their day while they sat around the dinner table.

Prince Liam glanced knowingly at her mother who gave him a reassuring look.

"I have seen a shark." – he said proudly.

"No, you are not." – Eleanor cried in disbelief.

Liam inserted his fork in the lasagna on his plate, putting all his confidence in this movement.

"Yes, I have. I was this close." – he pointed the distance with his two fingers, which almost poked his sister's eyes out.

"You are just lying." – Eleanor answered in an uncertain voice, then she turned to her mother. – "He is lying, right Mom?"

It was the moment of truth. Liam couldn't wait to see his twin's face and Helena also knew the importance of her words. She waited a moment for effect before she spoke:

"He is not. We did see a shark. It swam above our head." – she said with ease and took a sip of her wine.

The little Princess sought comfort in her father's and older brother's eyes. Prince Robert frowned. For a brief moment, he wondered if his mother would support Liam's lie just to upset Eleanor. He could understand the Queen's twisted logic and usually he agreed with it, but not now.

"Where?" – he asked carefully.

"In an Aquarium in Monaco." – Helena replied a bit offended, detecting the suspicion in her son's voice.

Robert couldn't stand her gaze and lowered his eyes in shame. Eleanor broke the silence.

"I want to see it too. Will you take me there tomorrow?" – she asked her mother in a wheedling voice.

Helena hated to say no to Eleanor. Every time she did, she was terrified that she would crush her spirit and make her an obedient daughter, just as her mother did to her. However, she couldn't let her fear take control, and now she had to be strong for her son.

"I'm sorry, darling. It was only for Liam." – she said softly.

"It's not fair." – the Princess cried and was about to leave the table, but her father stopped her.

King Simon did not have the Queen's dilemma, nor did he know about it. Therefore it wasn't a problem for him to discipline sometimes the spoiled little Princess.

"He couldn't come with us scuba diving so he saw the Aquarium instead." – he explained to her in a calm tone. – "It's perfectly fair."

One look of her father was enough for Eleanor to calm down and sit back to the table. The King quietly watched her, then he turned to his wife:

"So you went to Monaco…" – he said, not trying to hide his amazement. – "Then, you came home and cooked dinner. It sounds pretty unbelievable."

"But it's true." – Helena answered with a dim smile, then she showed her hand to him. – "Look, I had sauce in my wedding ring. I hope they can fix it."

The King grabbed her outstretched hand and pecked a kiss on it.

"After ten years you can still surprise me, my love." – he mumbled.

"Of course I can." – she replied playfully and kissed him.

The unusual affection between her parents, made Eleanor curious.

"How did you meet?" – she asked eagerly. – "Gemma said that her parents had met in New York at Tiffany's house, which is a palace full of diamonds."

Queen Helena couldn't hold back a scornful laugh, then she explained herself to her surprised daughter.

"First of all, Tiffany is not a person, darling, it's a jewellery store." – she began. – "And second, Emma changes the story every year, so don't be surprised if you hear a different version next time you will meet her."

Prince Robert looked at his mother and asked curiously:

"What is the original story?"

"I'll tell you when you get older." – she answered, then she glanced at her husband knowingly. – "Suffice to say…"

"… that's why we don't have rose bushes at Kensington Palace." – the King and the Queen finished the sentence in unison.

Their daughter, however, was less interested in some rose bushes than in her parents' life so she got back to her original subject.

"How was your first date?" – she asked.

To all of their surprise, Queen Helena didn't take the question well.

"It's a very personal question, Eleanor. It's not proper to ask." – she hissed at the Princess.

"Why?" – asked the little girl, who wasn't intimidated by her answer at all.

Helena decided to ignore her question and instead of answering, she began to collect the empty plates on the table. They were quiet for a moment, then King Simon broke the silence.

"We didn't have a real first date." – he said softly to her daughter.

"Simon!" – the Queen cried out in indignation. – "It's none of their business."

Her husband didn't listen to her as he continued the conversation with his daughter:

"I tell you a secret. If it was tonight, I would do it differently."

"How?" – Eleanor demanded, her eyes widened in excitement at the promise of a good story.

Her father didn't disappoint her.

"Well, I would take out my guitar and give her a serenade under her window…" – he began, but the little Princess interrupted him.

"The song from Lion King!" – she said categorically.

The Queen had to laugh at the thought of her husband singing _Can you feel the love tonight?_ with a guitar in the Palace garden.

"Ask Elton John and he will sing it for you any time you want, Eleanor, but I don't think it would be my song." – Helena remarked with an amused smile.

"Me neither." – Simon agreed, then he continued, still talking to his daughter. – "I would invite her to take a stroll with me on the beach. We would be walking in the sand and I would tell her how beautiful she is and how much I love and cherish her until she turns red…"

"She is blushing right now." – Robert cried out with a sardonic grin.

"No, I'm not." – Helena turned to her husband with an ill-concealed embarrassment. – "So are you going to take me on that date or what?"

"I would be honoured." – the King replied and he held out his hand for her.


	23. Chapter 23

(End of Chapter Twenty-Two)

It was already dark and the coast was surprisingly deserted. The King, who wore a Hawaiian shirt with shorts, and the Queen, who put on a flimsy summer dress, could walk in the sand without the fear of meeting someone and getting recognized.

"Are we going to pretend we don't know each other or is this a first date after ten years?" – Helena asked in mock ease.

However, she couldn't fool her husband.

"Why are you so nervous?" – he asked.

Queen Helena lowered her eyes in embarrassment.

"I… I just… this is my first date." – she mumbled.

"Yes, I know." – the King replied excitedly.

The Queen shook her head.

"No, I mean the first real date in my life." – she said, ashamed. – "When someone actually takes me somewhere outside my home."

Simon got lost in thoughts. It suddenly made him realize how young his wife was when they got married and what kind of life she had on her family's farm.

"And what does a boy have to do to impress you?" – he finally asked to cheer her up.

Helena let out a soft chuckle.

"You impressed me a long time ago… For example, when you stood up for me against my mother and send her away. You won me over with that." – she replied, then she added playfully. – "But if you tell me you are good at stone skipping, I will have a new level of respect for you."

King Simon laughed at the childish wish, but he was determined to make it true.

"Oh really? Is that all you need? Then you shall get it." – he promised happily and picked up a stone.

They walked over to the water and he threw it with a firm move. The stone bounced off five times on the surface before it sank.

"Wooow! You are my hero." – Helena cried out excitedly. – "Now tell me: what does a girl have to do for a second date with you?"

Simon thought about the question for a while, then he answered honestly:

"Being normal, and just for a moment, make me forget that I am the King of England."

The Queen wasn't surprised by his answer.

"I think I can manage that." – she said with ease and gave him a flirtatious smile.

She threw her clothes in the sand and slowly began to undress her husband.

"I bet the King of England would never do such thing." – she whispered and led him into the water.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

 _Three days later…_

 _\- TEA TALK WITH KELLY-_

KELLY: "The Royal Family is officially back from the holidays. The secret vacation is over as we have seen the King, the Queen and their children arriving at the Palace yesterday evening."

SOPHIE: "I have to tell you I was a bit taken aback. I didn't even know that they left until I have seen the pictures of Queen Helena on the beach… This secrecy is very unusual."

RITA: "I wonder if it has anything to do with King Simon's alleged affair… The Palace never confirmed the news, but the photos were rather eloquent. I wouldn't be surprised if the King and the Queen wanted to get away from the world and focus on their marriage for a little while…"

KELLY: "Understandable… but on the other hand, they are the Royal Family, they can't just disappear."

SOPHIE: "While the hired help continues to strike…"

KELLY: "Actually this might help their case. Since the Royal Family travelled without their own staff, it's like they have given their blessing to the protesters. Knowing that officially they can't involve in politics, this can be a clever way to show their support."

RITA: "Maybe… but I think they have more respect for this rule. It is more likely that this is just a coincidence. I could imagine that after her husband's cheating scandal, Queen Helena didn't feel safe with the maids."

* * *

"Incredible!" – Queen Helena cried out indignantly and turned off the TV. – "Why can't they forget about it already?"

Returning from the holiday and resuming their daily routine was harder than they imagined and it made them all frustrated.

"At least they just hate me. _You_ still have their sympathy." – the King remarked with a bitter smile, then he added in thoughts: – " _The biggest irony of all."_

Helena rolled her eyes and looked at him angrily.

"That's very comforting, thank you! Who is this Rita anyway? I will ask Rachel to find out and I will have a little chat with her. Enough is enough." – she said firmly, then she frowned:– "What if our children see this?"

"They don't believe every rubbish they see." – her husband answered reassuringly. – "We have raised them better than this."

Queen Helena wanted to protest, but her assistant interrupted them.

"I have good news." – Rachel announced to the Queen with a satisfied smile.

"What is it?" – Helena asked impatiently.

Her assistant cleared her throat and waited a moment before she continued.

"You are invited as a guest speaker to the United Nations to speak about your Children's Hospice charity."

King Simon was the first to speak.

"Congratulations, my love! It's a really big deal." – he said and smiled at his wife.

"Yes, it was about time. I fight for their recognition for almost a decade now." – Helena replied, lost in thoughts, then she turned to her assistant. – "Tell them that I'm honoured to accept their invitation. "

* * *

Of course, the Queen's trip to the U.N. didn't make everybody equally happy. The Queen Mother, for one, couldn't hide her jealousy, while Princess Eleanor became more and more unbearable as the day of her mother's departure approached. Every time Queen Helena was about to travel somewhere without her family, she could count on her daughter to give a series of tantrums. However, this time it was different. Right after the Queen left, Princess Eleanor managed to make herself really ill with all the crying and shouting.

At 3 a.m. New York City time, Helena has woken up in her hotel room to the sound of her phone ringing.

"What is it?" – she mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"She feels so bad." – she heard the worried voice of King Simon. – "She has a fever and her throat… She is in so much pain."

The Queen turned on the bedside lamp and tried to rub the drowsiness from her eyes.

"What does the doctor say?" – she asked straightforwardly.

The King didn't hear her question or deliberately ignored it as he continued:

"It's not a sore throat. She can't eat because it hurts her so much and…"

Helena could feel as she was growing more nervous by the moment.

"Simon! What does the doctor say?" – she shouted at her husband, but she realized that he was hopeless. – "Just give me Robert on the phone."

She heard that Simon called out to his son and handed over the mobile to him.

"Hi, Mom!" – Prince Robert greeted his mother.

The Queen could not help smiling when she heard his voice.

"Hello, darling. So what happened exactly?" – she asked.

Unlike his father, the Prince knew what his mother needed to hear and got straight to the point:

"We are in the hospital."

"The hospital?" – Queen Helena asked back in shock.

"Yes. Her sore throat got worse, she can't swallow and she has a fever. Doctor Hartman says it is tonsillitis. They will operate her the day after tomorrow." – her son explained the facts willingly.

Helena believed that her husband was just overly concerned about their daughter and exaggerated things, but now she had to realize that the situation was more serious than she thought.

"This is awful." – that was the only thing she could say.

She was angry and relieved at the same time that this whole thing happened when she was away. She didn't know what to do. Simon would probably want her to return home immediately, but as the Queen, she had responsibilites towards her country as well. Motherhood was not supposed to stand in the way of duty.

"Do you think I should go home?" – she asked her son hesitantly.

"No. I mean it's bad, but it's not tragic." – Robert replied without thinking. No matter how much he loved his sister, he was much like his mother. – "You are doing some important stuff there. She will be angry and maybe dad too, but you couldn't help much if you were here."

The Queen let out a dim smile because she got exactly the response she wanted to hear. However, she knew that it wouldn't be so easy with Eleanor.

"Can I speak to her?" – she finally asked.

Prince Robert left the waiting room and walked into his sister's hospital room. He gave the phone to her and sat in a chair next to the bed.

"Mummy?" – Eleanor muttered weakly.

Helena was shocked when she heard the fragile little voice of her daughter.

"Yes, I'm here, darling." – she answered reassuringly. – "I'm so sorry for you. How bad is it?"

"Very bad." – whispered the Princess.

At this point the Queen would gladly have forgotten about the U.N. and all the dying children of the world, just to be with her own. Of course she couldn't tell her that.

"Can you talk?" – she asked objectively.

"Not really." – Eleanor mumbled hoarsely. – "Are you coming home?"

Helena let out a guilty sigh before she announced the bad news:

"I can't."

"You must." – Princess Eleanor peremptorily demanded.

The Queen was relieved that her daughter had some fight left in her and ironically, this gave her the strength to resist her wish.

"You know, sweetheart, there are other children who suffer just like you now, but sadly they can't get better." – she explained patiently to her daughter, knowing already that it was pointless. – "You will get better very soon, but they can't. The only thing the doctors can do is take away their pain and make them happy before they die. I have to speak for these children, you understand that, don't you?"

As the Queen predicted, six-year-old Eleanor didn't understand her reasons to stay away.

"Just come home, Mommy, please!" – the little girl pleaded.

"I'm sorry." – her mother said firmly, though it broke her heart. – "But I promise you that I will be there after the surgery and I will bring you lots of presents. I'll get you something from _Tiffany_ , what do you say? Gemma will be so jealous of you."

* * *

Queen Helena went straight to the hospital as soon as her private jet landed in London.

She didn't expect a warm welcome when she returned home, but her husband's behaviour surprised her.

"You should have come home. If you had seen her…" – King Simon began when he saw his wife.

"I'm here now." – the Queen said, then she added softly, almost pleadingly: – "Please, Simon! I'm tired too. I have got jet lag, you can imagine that I couldn't sleep either."

The King wasn't touched by her words as he eyed her up and down. Her hands were full of packages containing presents for Eleanor while her assistant and her bodyguard carried other gifts for Prince Liam and Prince Robert.

"I wonder why you have come here now when you knew that we would be home in an hour." – the King remarked coldly. – "I tell you why. You were terrified that abandoning your daughter would hurt your public image. So you had to come here and act like a caring mother."

Helena walked towards her daughter's door, but Simon blocked her path.

"This is ridiculous. Are you really not letting me in?" – she asked in shock.

After an awkward moment of silence, the King finally realized how childishly he acted and let her pass.

* * *

"Hello darling! How are you?" – the Queen asked in a caring tone, after she entered her daughter's hospital room.

"Bad." – came the short answer from Eleanor, who didn't even bother to turn to her mother.

Helena tried her best to comfort her and make up for her absence.

"The good news is that now you can eat all the ice-cream you want." – she began with overacted enthusiasm in her voice. – "I brought you some from America, you know, that brand they don't sell here in the UK."

After she didn't get an answer from the Princess, she continued.

"Listen, I came as soon as I could." – she said, which of course wasn't true.

Princess Eleanor knew it too as she decided to acknowledge her mother's presence.

"You are lying." – she remarked huskily.

Queen Helena let out a guilty sigh and put her hand on the little Princess' shoulder.

"Please, Eleanor, look at me." – she said softly and tucked away her daughter's long brown hair so she could see her face.

"I don't want to see you." – Eleanor said with hatred.

Her mother, however, didn't give up so easily.

"What about your presents? You must want to see _them_ at least." – she suggested cheerfully.

"I don't care." – the little girl resisted.

The Queen walked over to her bags that she put in a chair and took out a blue box. Eleanor watched her from the corner of her eyes as she opened it and picked up a marvellous necklace. It consisted of tiny diamond flowers and between every flower there was a yellow, pink, blue or green sapphire.

"Are you sure?" – Helena asked when she noticed that her daughter was watching her. – "In that case I might keep this one."

"Beautiful." – the little Princess whispered.

Queen Helena walked back to her bedside and smiled at her.

"My mother says that in the world of jewelleries there are no girls and women, only timeless beauty." – she said and put the necklace around her daughter's neck.

Eleanor quietly admired the necklace for a while, then she turned to her mother:

"Can I keep it and still hate you?" – she asked in a serious tone.

Helena couldn't hold back a genuine laugh.

"I don't see a reason why not." – she replied with ease and she was never more relieved that she got her nasty little daughter back.

* * *

After Helena left Eleanor's room, she found her husband sleeping on a chair in the waiting room.

"She is ready to leave." – she said softly to him when she woke him up.

"I was never so exhausted in my entire life." – King Simon answered between two yawns.

The Queen gave him a dim smile as she said:

"Give birth to twins, then come back to me."

The King nodded in agreement, then he looked at her with guilt.

"I'm sorry about earlier." – he mumbled.

"I'm sorry too." – Helena answered with ease and shrugged. – "I could have come home and I chose not to. You have every right to be upset."

King Simon was truly surprised by his wife's generosity.

"I shouldn't have had to lash out at you. I just lost control... I don't know what has gotten into me." – he apologized, then he took her hand in his. – "Anyway, welcome home!"

"Thank you." – the Queen replied and kissed him on the cheek.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

The next big event in the Royal Palace was tenth wedding anniversary of King Simon and Queen Helena. There were expected to be so many festivities and public celebrations to honour the royal couple that it was difficult for Helena to keep in mind all of them.

As if it was not enough, she had to endure Simon's constant whining about why they couldn't celebrate more privately and her mother's unsolicited advice and requests.

"So on a scale from one to ten, how much do you insist that your father should come to the party?" – Lady Alexandra asked her daughter over the phone.

Helena knew that the Duchess just called to ask something again and she was not ashamed to use her husband as a bargaining chip.

"Ten." – came the quick answer from the Queen, who got straight to the point. – "What do you want in return?"

Her mother let out a light laugh.

"Well, you know, it's not easy to travel with him. His wheelchair, his medication, his nurses…" – she began, but Helena interrupted her.

"I will send a car with two men... two _young_ men to help."

She could hear that her mother is not happy with her offer. She didn't hide it much longer.

"It would be more comfortable if you sent the royal plane." – Lady Alexandra suggested in a firm voice, which sounded almost like a threat.

Queen Helena knew very well that she couldn't lend her mother their private jet because she needed it for another reason.

"Mother, it's not... Let me get back to you." – she replied with a sigh and helplessly sunk into an armchair.

Five minutes later her husband found her in the same position.

"Are you all right?" – he asked her in a worried voice.

"My mother wants the plane or she won't bring my father." – the Queen said in one breath.

King Simon frowned in confusion.

"So?"

Helena looked at him reproachfully.

"I need it for someone else… Uhm… The… Crown Prince and Princess of Spain would like to attend the celebration. I promised to send the jet for them."

"Let them use their own jet." – the King remarked with ease. – "As much as it seems to be otherwise, this is still _our_ anniversary party. Your father is much more important than any royalty."

The Queen's eyes were full of gratitude.

"It's not so easy, but thank you, Simon. I wanted to tell you this years ago: you are making this palace a so much better place." – she said sincerely and kissed her husband. – "I promise I will give you the best party of your life."

King Simon couldn't hold back a bitter smile.

"I bet you will, my love."

Helena saw his unhappiness behind his smile, which only make her more excited. He knew nothing about her little surprise for him.

* * *

The Grand Duchess of Oxford arrived the day before the anniversary party. She ordered the nurses right away to take her husband, the Grand Duke to his room while she went to meet her daughter and grandchildren.

The King, the Queen and their children were all lined up in the main salon to greet Lady Alexandra.

"Eleanor, just remember, you don't have to tell her everything." – Helena whispered to her daughter before the Duchess entered the room.

"Duchie!" – the Princess shouted as soon as she saw her grandmother.

Lady Alexandra hugged her granddaughter, then backed away from her so she could have a better look on her.

"How are you my darling? Let me look at you." – she cried out cheerfully. – "You are even more beautiful than the last time I saw you."

Helena snorted in disdain which she quickly tried to turn into a cough. Unfortunately, her mother heard her.

"Don't you agree?" – she asked offensively.

"I didn't say a word." – the Queen remarked in mock ease.

The Duchess looked intensely at her, then she turned back her attention to Princess Eleanor.

"How is your throat?" – she asked in a caring tone.

"Good." – the little Princess replied, then she added teasingly. – "You promised you would bring me presents when I get well."

Lady Alexandra let out a genuine laugh.

"Did I ever break my promise?" – she asked with a wink. – "Of course I brought you presents."

Eleanor's eyes widened in excitement. She climbed up to the sofa where her grandmother sat and knelt beside her.

"What did you bring?" – she cried out happily.

"Evening gloves, for your mother's party. A friend of mine in Milan made them just for you." – the Duchess answered as if it was the most common thing in the world.

The Princess squealed with delight and put her arms around her grandmother's neck. She could catch a glimpse of dissatisfaction or even jealousy on her mother's face, which gave her more confidence.

"Mum doesn't let me choose my dress." – she announced in a solemn voice to the Duchess.

"Really?" – Lady Alexandra asked scornfully.

The Queen shook her head to warn her daughter, but Princess Eleanor continued without hesitation:

"She wants me to wear pink."

"How boring!" – her grandmother remarked with disgust. – "What is she going to wear?"

Helena had enough of the situation and quickly answered the question instead of Eleanor:

"Black."

"Black?! On your tenth wedding anniversary?" – the Duchess cried out theatrically.

"I want to please my husband on our anniversary, so I let him choose my dress. What a horrible person I am!" – she said in a sarcastic tone.

"You are not horrible, you just don't have taste." – Eleanor remarked with a grin because she knew that a mean quip was always appreciated by her grandmother.

The Queen managed to hide her feelings better this time as she said with ease:

"Speaking of taste. I have to taste the cakes for tomorrow." – she began, then she turned to her two sons. – "There are so much of them, it will be so difficult to choose…"

Robert understood the hint right away.

"I can help!" – he cried out with enthusiasm and rushed to her mother's side.

Queen Helena nodded in satisfaction and looked at the younger boy.

"What about you, Liam?"

She didn't have to ask twice. A moment later Prince Liam stood beside her mother too, ready to go. They were about to leave when he finally asked:

"Can Eleanor come too?"

"Oh, I think she is having fun with her grandmother." – the Queen replied wickedly. – "I'm sure she wouldn't leave her here alone… And she probably hates cakes anyway. But if she wants to come…"

Eleanor recognized the trap that her mother made for her and it required all her strength not to walk in it.

"I stay here." – she said firmly and hugged her grandmother tighter.

* * *

Princess Eleanor knew that she was defeated and her only hope was that her grandmother would reward her for her loyalty and choose the perfect gown for her. However, after thirty minutes of intense searching in her wardrobe, they had to accept the hard truth:

"This is the best dress. Unbelievable!" – the Grand Duchess cried out in shock.

"Yes. And it is perfect with my new gloves." – Eleanor remarked, disappointed.

Lady Alexandra turned to her granddaughter with a sudden anger:

"Wait! Are you saying that you see this dress for the first time?" – she asked indignantly. – "You were just bluffing earlier!"

"Yeah." – the Princess nodded in agreement, then she frowned. – "What is bluffing?"

Her grandmother sighed resignedly.

"It's pretending to know the truth when you have no idea how this goddamn dress looks like."

"Oh _that_! Then I'm bluffing a lot." – replied the little girl.

They sat quietly on a pile of clothes in the room-sized closet of the Princess, not knowing what to do. Finally, Eleanor broke the silence:

"Maybe mum's taste is not so hopeless."

"Well, we can't tell her that, can we?" – Lady Alexandra remarked bitterly. – "We have to settle for the second best dress."

Princess Eleanor shook her head and looked at her grandmother reproachfully.

"You can settle, I want the pink dress." – she said firmly with her head up high. – "I will swallow the bitter pillow and apologize to Mom."

The Duchess let out a scornful chuckle.

"Just be careful, don't choke on that pill- _ow_."

* * *

The two Princes unspeakably enjoyed the rare opportunity to eat as much sweets as they could. They got so much energy that the nannies and maids weren't able to put them to bed until late night. Queen Helena, however, got bored with the cake tasting very soon and left Rachel in charge to help the boys choose the desserts for the party.

She was more concerned about her father, Sir Christopher and she decided to pay a visit to him. When she entered his room, Helena let out a dim smile. Despite the fact that he was in a wheelchair and it was still difficult to understand him, it was unmistakably her father. He shouted with the poor nurses, who were seemed to be scared to death of him.

"What is the problem?" – the Queen asked straight her father.

The nurses didn't give him a chance to speak as one of them quickly answered:

"He refuses to take his medication."

"Why?" – Helena asked, still talking to Sir Christopher.

In his struggle with the words he moaned something incomprehensible. Helena listened to him very carefully, but she could only understand the verb _'sleeping'_. She had no idea how her mother was capable of understanding every word of him.

"Why would you give him sleeping pills? It's still early in the afternoon." – Queen Helena turned to the nurses, touching the root of the problem.

The two women looked at each other before they answered the Queen's question.

"Order of the Grand Duchess. When we are at home, Lady Alexandra usually has visitors at this hour and she prefers if her husband is not awake." – the younger one remarked confidently.

Helena was convinced that her mother could not surprise her anymore, but this was a new low.

"Get out!" – she shouted at the nurses and she didn't have to ask twice.

The Queen followed them with her eyes until they left the room, then she turned back to her father.

"Damn bitches!" – she mumbled in disdain. – "Tell Mother that they stole from you. That way, she will definitely fire them and I can get you new ones."

Sir Christopher smiled slowly at his daughter.

"Go-ood ttto s-s-see y-you, Ne-ne-nellie!"

"It's good to see you, Dad. Even if it cost me dearly that you are here now." – Helena remarked with a scornful smile, thinking of her mother's demands.

Her father lowered his eyes with guilt and braced himself to tell another sentence.

"Yuuur sa-s-sacree-sacrifi-ficed a… a… a lot."

The Queen knew immediately what he meant. Since he got sick he was inclined to live in his memories, and that was all he could see when he looked at his daughter. Helena could read his mind and she quickly said to him:

"No, please, we don't need to talk about that. It was ten years ago."

"Sell-selfish." – Sir Christopher moaned and pointed at himself.

Her daughter shook her head.

"It was my choice." – she replied softly. – "Mother may have pushed me, but it was my choice. I wanted to help. I wanted to save the farm and that's what I did."

Helena saw the saliva leaking from her father's mouth because of the great effort and she quickly wiped it off with a napkin.

"Di-didn worth ittt." – he mumbled.

"Maybe… but how could we know it back then?" – Queen Helena asked theoretically. Then she became more serious. – "I wish I didn't go to your room that day, the day before my wedding."

Sir Christopher cried out desperately:

"No!"

Helena looked at him bitterly before she continued:

"I wasn't strong enough. I thought I couldn't get married without love. I went to your room, I was crying and begging you the whole night and you said no. And two weeks later you got a stroke and Mother sold our land. Do you see now? If I had been strong enough for just one more day, this wouldn't have happened. You got sick because of me, because of the guilt you felt for me."

"So-so-sorr-ry." – her father moaned.

The Queen shrugged her shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't be." – she said with a sudden ease in her voice. – "Like I said, it was ten years ago. I wanted you to be here tomorrow at the party so you can see that I'm all right. Because I am, Dad. You can finally let go of the past."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

The anniversary celebration lasted for a week. Every day there was a different program, every evening there was a different dinner, but the biggest one was the Queen's party for the "family and friends" with a handful of 150 attendees in the Buckingham Palace.

The Queen, the King and their guests had to listen to all sorts of entertainment before dinner: musicians, poets, even a play that was written only for this occasion.

"This is horrible. How long will it still take?" – King Simon whispered in his wife's ears.

"I don't know." – Helena answered with a fake smile. – "They said it would be fifty minutes, but it has been almost two hours."

 _KNIGHT: "Dreaming by day, awake by night_

 _I want you forever by my side."_

 _Sweet lady, I set you free,_

 _That I shall promise thee."_

The King frowned in displeasure, hearing the cheap metaphor and the bad rhymes.

"It makes me wish I had never married." – he mumbled, but seeing the Queen's expression, he quickly added: – "You know what I mean. It just came out wrong."

"If it doesn't end in ten minutes, I will give Rachel a sign to start the fire alarm." – Helena hissed between her teeth, still looking at the actors while she was talking.

 _PRINCESS: "A loving heart is not an army,_

 _My father has soldiers to guard me..."_

"Do you really have a sign for that with Rachel?" – her husband asked in shock.

 _KNIGHT: "Oh, there is no hope, my bride,_

 _Kiss my lips and come to die."_

"Of course. We have thirty-eight different signs, each for a diffe…" – Helena remarked with ease, but she couldn't finish it. The next lines of the play made her heart stop for a moment.

 _PRINCESS: "Dying is easy, loving is hard._

 _I will show you when I'm your wife._

 _I poisoned my father: he is lying dead,_

 _I think this house needs a new head."_

Queen Helena quickly glanced at her mother, but she didn't notice or if she did, she didn't show that she heard the poisoning part.

"Thank God!" – the King whispered because the play finally came to an end.

Helena shook her head to dismiss the troubling thoughts from her head.

* * *

There was only one program left before the dinner: Princess Eleanor's piano performance.

"I can't believe this." – the Queen whispered to the King when she heard her daughter.

King Simon was as surprised as his wife. This was the first time Eleanor let them listen to her playing the piano.

"When did she begin?" – he asked softly.

"Four months ago." – Helena replied in amazement, then she added more seriously. – "This is not normal. You saw her drawings too."

"Yes, she is talented." – her husband agreed.

The Queen shook her head in protest.

"More than that. I think… she is special." – she finally said out loud what she thought for a while. – "She is one of those gifted and talented children."

The King let out a soft laughter.

"You are her mother. Of course you think that."

Helena rolled her eyes and said in a firm voice:

"She will need a school matching her abilities."

Simon still didn't seem to be convinced.

"I share your enthusiasm, but it's too early to tell." – he replied gently to his wife. – "Even if you are right, it would be best to wait a couple of years with a decision like that. We don't want to separate her from Liam anyway."

"At some point we will have to." – the Queen remarked softly and turned back her attention to her daughter.

* * *

" _Don't lie_." – that was the only thing King Simon asked from his wife regarding her speech at the anniversary party.

Queen Helena promised him to do so and now she was prepared to give the most challenging toast of her life. Not lying in an anniversary speech was like leaving milk out of the tea.

" _It's always hard to begin… It's always hard to begin, but I think it's harder to continue._ _I remember my first ball in this Palace, after my wedding… There were so many people I needed to meet and I had no idea what to talk about. Queen Gloria saw me and she said: "Ask them about their marriage. You will get great use of it." So I interviewed sixty-eight people and the answer was the same almost every time: there is no recipe for a good marriage. There is no recipe because it is always changing. At least, that is what happened in my case. I didn't know Simon well when we met – obviously not as well as I know him now – but I came to know him through the many joyful and few sorrowful experiences we had together. I learned that he is a caring and compassionate person, a devoted father and a great ruler. As his Queen, I'm trying to be worthy of this King, but as a wife, I sometimes just admire him. In this ten years we were blessed with three children and I believe it changed both of us. It's for Robert, Liam and Eleanor to thank that we knew a new kind of love, a deeper love, for them and for each other. If this would be all that we share, I should be already grateful. But this isn't all because there is always more… I raise my glass to my husband, Simon, King of England."_

King Simon also prepared with a toast to commemorate the past ten years of his marriage:

" _Thank you, my love._ _What can I say? This past ten years were an incredible journey for me and I couldn't be luckier to have you by my side. When we first met, this country went through a period of depression and so were we. Both of us, I think. I don't want to go into details, I know you wouldn't want me to, so let me just remind you what you said to me that day and seize the chance to thank you. Because you were right. We did overcome the obstacles and recovered from the crisis. And that is one of the amazing things about you: your faith and confidence in the most critical situations. You always believe that there is a way out and I always believe that you will find it. Frankly, it is really annoying sometimes… One more thing: you are the mother of my children, which is something I can't be grateful enough for – because this is the greatest love anyone can feel and you gave it to me, Helena. I share this bond with you, nobody else but you and our family is the most important thing in my life. So cheers, my love!"_

* * *

After the dinner the guests were escorted to the main ballroom, where they had a chance to dance or talk in smaller groups. That was the moment Queen Helena was waiting for the whole night. She gave a sign to her assistant, then she disappeared in the crowd.

Acting upon the Queen's silent order, Rachel walked over to King Simon.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty" – she said and slipped a handwritten note to the King's hand.

Simon was first surprised by her interruption, but then he read the letter and quickly left the room. In fact, not just the room, but also the Palace. He didn't stop until he reached the garden. His wife waited for him at the children's old playground. She was sitting in one of the swings with her bare feet dangling in the sand. Her face was lit by the torches that were stabbed into the ground around them.

"I got your message. What are you doing here?" – he asked with a surprised smile. – "Shouldn't we be in there?"

Queen Helena returned his smile and replied with ease:

"All they care about is a big entrance and an even bigger finale. No one will notice if we stay here for a little while."

"I don't understand." – Simon frowned because it still felt like a trap, but he walked over to Helena and sat beside her in another swing.

"You wanted a more intimate celebration. I told you I would give you the best party of your life." – the Queen remarked and shrugged her shoulders.

King Simon burst out laughing.

"You thought that the best party of my life would be the one with no guests." – he said in mock anger. – "I don't know if I should be offended."

The Queen gently pushed herself towards him so their swings would collide.

"Only if I was wrong." – she said with a flirty smile.

The King grabbed the chain of her swing and pulled his wife closer.

"No. You are absolutely right." – he answered and kissed her lips. – "Thank you."

Helena rubbed his cheek and pulled away from him.

"You know I think we have made the most out of this marriage. It could have been much worse. I'm glad you gave it a try. Despite… _her_." – she remarked softly.

Her husband was unprepared for this turn and cried out indignantly:

"Don't start it, please!"

"You started it with your speech." – the Queen replied apologetically. – "That we were both depressed. And you were right. Anyway, I just wanted to thank that you tried."

"You tried too... Or that is what you made me believe." – Simon said in an uncertain voice, not quite sure what his wife wanted to hear.

Helena didn't understand or didn't want to understand the meaning of his words and let out a gentle smile.

"And look where it led us. I'm proud of our team." – she told him and looked into his eyes.

"Me too." – the King answered with a relieved sigh.

"Come with me. I have a surprise for you." – Helena grabbed her husband's hands. – "I flew her here all the way from Canada. In fact, that is why I needed the jet…"

She got out of the swing and lead the King to a tent behind the playground where his favourite singer, Celine Dion was already waiting for them. For a moment, Simon didn't know what to say.

"Thank you for coming! It's an honour to have you here." – he mumbled, puzzled like a true fan when he finally greeted the diva.

"What shall it be, Simon?" – the Queen asked a few moments later, after the first song began to play. – "Will you dance with me?"

She didn't have to ask twice. The King put his arms around her and danced with her in the grass.

"Happy anniversary!" – he whispered and gave her a long kiss.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

… _ **Four years later…**_

Helena and her assistant were in the Queen's study and just finished talking about the weekly schedule when Prince Robert entered the room.

"Good morning, Mom!" – he greeted his mother, then he turned to the assistant with an ill-concealed smile. – "Good morning, Rachel!"

"Good morning, Your Highness!" – Rachel replied with a subtle smile.

The Queen could not fail to notice the way her son talked to the other woman. Her suspicion only grew when she heard the reason of Robert's visit.

"I was wondering if I could help you with anything…" – he said uncertainly avoiding any eye contact. – "Since I have nothing to do right now, maybe I could work together with Rachel… you know… to learn more about the everyday duties of a monarch…"

"Not now, darling. Rachel is just leaving." – Helena replied indifferently.

Her assistant looked at her and added in a nicer tone:

"Actually, this is my day off."

"Oh, I see." – Robert mumbled, not even trying to hide his disappointment.

He was about to leave when Rachel's voice stopped him.

"By the way, thank you for the flowers." – she said gently.

A big smile spread across the young Prince's face.

"You are welcome."

Helena raised her eyebrow as she watched the scene. She waited until her son left, then she asked her assistant:

"What flowers?"

"The bouquet I found on my doorstep. I asked the gardener and he said…" – Rachel began willingly, but the Queen interrupted her.

"Wait! So your secret admirer is Robert?!" – she cried out in shock. – "I'm so sorry. I will talk to him."

Rachel hesitated whether she should involve in a family matter or not. Finally, she decided to give it a try:

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I think it should be me. It will be less embarrassing if he hears it from me and not from his mother."

She could see the surprise crossing Queen Helena's face before she regain her composure.

"All right. Thank you!" – she said gratefully, then the mother came out of her again. – "But Rachel, please be gentle with him."

* * *

"Did you finish with the Prime Minister?" – Queen Helena asked her husband when she saw him from across her study.

"It seems so." – the King answered thoughtfully.

Helena let out a frustrated sigh.

"And?" – she asked impatiently.

"He wants to drastically raise the taxes." – Simon replied indignantly. – "I couldn't reason with him."

His wife, however, didn't seem to care much about it.

"He is not afraid to be unpopular. I like him." – she remarked with ease.

King Simon snorted in disdain.

"You wouldn't say that if you knew that his next target would be the farmers." – he said scornfully, but he didn't get the reaction he expected.

"I'm not surprised." – the Queen answered simply. – "They can't compete with the much cheaper imported products. The PM must think that they are not worth to be saved."

"And you? Do you think the same?" – the King asked in surprise.

"Of course not." – his wife snapped at him.

Simon hesitated before he spoke again.

"Then you should talk to him." – he suggested softly.

Helena let out an incredulous laughter.

"He didn't care about your opinion. Why would he care about mine?"

"You have better arguments." – her husband remarked.

"Simon, you are living in a dream world!" – Queen Helena cried out angrily, then she added in a calmer tone: – "If you want him to listen to you, dig up some dirt on him."

The King wasn't sure if this was just a bad joke or she really meant what she said.

"This is disgusting." – he said when he realized that his wife was serious.

Helena shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe. But that is how it works."

King Simon watched her quietly for a while with guilt and disappointment in his eyes

"When did you become like this?" – he asked in a soft voice.

"All for the greater good." – Helena replied with a sarcastic smile and left the room.

* * *

Both the Queen and her assistant underestimated the power of Prince Robert's crush. He wasn't used to rejection and he was curious about the reason behind it. Deep down, he knew from the beginning that Rachel would turn him down, but he had to know if she had someone else. So when he saw her car leaving, he decided to follow her.

About thirty minutes later they were in East London. Robert saw that the silver car in front of them slowed down a bit. He didn't want to draw attention to himself so he sent away his security detail and continued on foot. He hid in a bush so no one could see him and waited. However, it wasn't Rachel who got out of the car. It was the Queen. She carefully looked around, then she went into one house in the street.

Robert hesitated. His first instinct was to go home and forget about the whole thing, but he was too curious. Besides, he didn't want to leave his mother alone in that bad neighbourhood. He walked over to the cottage and rang the doorbell.

Alistair Lacey was shocked when he saw the Crown Prince of England on his doorstep, but he knew it was useless to pretend that he didn't know what he wanted. He showed him in and offered him a seat, then he shouted to the bedroom:

"Hellie, you have a visitor."

The Queen thought that it was some kind of joke and responded accordingly:

"Really? Tell him that I will see him in the bedroom, naked."

Alistair quickly interrupted her, but it was too late.

"No, I'm serious. Your son is here." – he said in embarrassment.

Helena hastily dressed and hurried into the room.

"Robert, what are you doing here? Did you follow me?" – she asked in panic.

"No, I followed Rachel… It was her car." – her son replied in confusion.

"You can't just follow her!" – Helena shouted. – "I understand that you like her, but you can't do this. And where is your bodyguard? Where is Peter? Did he see me too?"

"No." – Robert answered angrily.

He has never seen his mother like this before. She was nothing like a Queen. Her hair was dishevelled, her clothes were wrinkled and he could see that she was terrified.

The Queen was also seemed to realize that she revealed too much because she continued in a calmer tone.

"Listen, darling, you are the future King of England. You can't be on the streets, spying on women, without your security detail. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is? This was a very stupid thing to…" – she said, but Prince Robert interrupted her.

"Mom! Why are you here? Who is this man?" – he shouted in anger.

He was fed up with his mother lecturing him, while she was the one who was obviously hiding something. She was the one who broke his trust and betrayed their alliance. He looked straight into her eyes and she looked back at him, but she didn't answer. For a moment they almost forgot about the third person in the room.

"I'm going for a walk." – Alistair said softly and walked toward the door.

The Queen looked at him gratefully and silently formed thank you with her lips. After he left, the room has fallen silent.

"You know I can't lie to you." – Helena finally said after a while.

"Then tell me the truth." – Robert answered flatly.

He could see the fear in his mother's eyes and for a moment he couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

"Please Robert, don't ask me this" – she begged him – "because if you do, you know I _will_ tell."

But the young Prince remained cruelly silent which indicated his mother to continue.

"His name is Alistair Lacey. He is… my first love." – Helena began uneasily, but once she said it out loud, she felt relieved. After fifteen years, she was now determined to tell the whole story. – "I fell in love with him when I was just a teenager. I wanted to marry him as soon as I turned eighteen, which was a young age to get married, even back then, but I was so sure. We both were. My parents didn't know that, but I was their only child, I knew that they would forgive me eventually. Everything was seemed to be in place. Then the worst happened and my whole world fell apart. Because of the BSE epidemic and the economic crisis we went from a wealthy family to paupers in days. My mother always wanted me to marry rich and who was I to say no to her? Even if I had done it, there was my father. Our farm was his life and he was faced to lose it. I was their only hope so I did my duty and married into the Royal Family."

"But in secret you remained loyal to the man you loved." – Robert remarked softly.

His mother shook her head.

"No. He left me and became a soldier." – she answered, then she paused for a moment. – "Anyway, I wanted to give a chance to my marriage and by the time Alistair returned, I was in love with your father. So I didn't want to be with him, not like _that_ anymore, but he was so broken and he had no one else, but me."

Robert used the moment of silence to ask a question.

"When did this happen?"

The Queen wasn't happy to lie to her son, but she had secrets she couldn't share even with him.

"Shortly after the twins were born. You must think that I'm reprehensible." – she remarked with guilt, then she suddenly grabbed her son's hand. – "Look, if you want me to, I will end this affair and tell everything to your father right now."

Prince Robert looked at his mother and frowned.

"Would you do this?" – he asked in shock. – "For me?"

"Of course. You are thirteen and you love your parents. It wouldn't be fair to ask you to carry this burden." – Helena replied in mock ease. – "Besides, I owe you. You made me fall in love with your father and you are the reason that our marriage was happy for so long… We are very different people, but you and your siblings have the power to make us forget about it."

Robert knew that his mother spoke the truth, but he could also see the pain in her eyes while she was talking.

"Does this man… Alistair make you happy?" – he finally asked.

"Yes." – the Queen answered without hesitation.

The young Prince let out a heavy sigh as he made his decision:

"Then I would never ask you to leave him."

"Robert!" – Helena cried out in astonishment. – "Are you sure?"

"I am." – her son replied firmly.

"Thank you!" – Queen Helena whispered and Robert could see something he never saw in his life before: the tears in his mother's eyes. There were only a few teardrops, but they were there, slowly flowing down her face…

He was still looking at her, silently, when Alistair came back. Prince Robert knew that it was time for him to leave. He was about to do so, but he had an idea. He walked over to Alistair and shook his hand.

"It was an honour to meet you, Sir!" – he said to him in sincere respect, then walked out of the house, leaving the two surprised adults alone.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It was the ten years jubilee of King Simon's reign. To mark this occasion, the King and the Queen decided to go on a trip to the Commonwealth countries. At Rachel's suggestion they chose to travel by ship, not by plane so more people could see them on their way.

King Simon was ready to go, but his wife didn't seem to care much. She was still giving the last instructions to the staff and simultaneously saying farewell to her children.

"Helena, we are in thirty minutes late. You can't keep the whole ship waiting for us." – the King cried out from the bottom of the stairs.

Helena rolled her eyes and shouted back to him.

"Are you sure? Because the last time I checked I was still the Queen of England."

Simon swore under his breath, then he made one last try to persuade his wife to go:

"At least, hurry up, please!"

Queen Helena finally finished her discussion with the employees. Prince Robert and the twins bored themselves to death by the time their turn came and they entertained themselves with a pillow fight.

"Those are antiques! Put them down immediately!" – the Queen snapped at them, then she continued tenderly. – "Come here, darlings."

The three royal children obeyed without a word, not even Eleanor protested.

"I know it was a long time ago that we were away for such a long time, but we will be home sooner than you think." – Helena reassured them.

"How many nights do I have to sleep until you come back?" – Eleanor asked.

The Queen frowned and quickly rattled off the unpleasant answer:

"Thirty-two."

Prince Liam almost cried while he hugged his mother, but the Princess remained calm.

"Okay." – she said indifferently.

Helena lokked at her suspiciously, then turned to Robert.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" – she asked him while she was carressing her other son.

"No, thanks." – Prince Robert answered firmly. – "Are you afraid to be locked in a ship with Dad for a month?"

The Queen didn't appreciate this joke very much.

"Of course not." – she hissed.

King Simon made a last effort to urge his wife who acknowledged his words with a frustrated sigh.

"Would you go downstairs and tell your father that I'll be right there?" – she asked her older son.

* * *

Prince Robert delivered his mother's message and now he stood in awkward silence next to his father.

They didn't have much to talk about. Robert didn't know if it was because he was the heir to the throne or because he was clearly his mother's son but the King always treated him differently than his siblings.

"What are your plans while we are away?" – his father finally asked.

"I will do some charity work. I'll visit a nursing home and a youth center for underprivileged children… and I'll go to the Chelsea Flower Show." – the young Prince listed his programs.

King Simon shook his head and said with a slight disappointment in his voice:

"Yes, these are your mother's plans for you."

"I don't mind." – Robert interrupted him quickly because he felt that he had to defend his mother.

As he expected, his father didn't appreciate this gesture.

"I know you don't mind…" – he began impatiently. – "…but what would you like to do?"

Prince Robert felt a growing pressure as he tried to think an answer that the King might like.

"I invited Beck and some other boys to play football with us. We'll be Manchester United and Liam and his friends can be Arsenal or Chelsea…" – he started uncertainly.

He noticed that the King was happy with his answer so he continued more confidently:

"And I promised Eleanor to do a puppet show. It will probably be long project since we are going to make the puppets and write the story for ourselves. And maybe if I have time, I will go to the Aviation Expo. There is said to be an aircraft from 1909 which is still working! I'm very excited about that."

"Really? That sounds great. I would go to this exhibition if you could wait for me until I came home." – Simon said to his son with a sudden enthusiasm.

Robert smiled at him and nodded in agreement.

"Sure, Dad."

* * *

During the month-long sea voyage, the King and the Queen planned to get to the coastal territories of Australia, India and some of the countries in Africa that were part of the former British Empire.

Queen Helena had never been on the board of a ship for so long before and she didn't count with the bad weather, nor did she know how it would affect her. One moment she was drinking coctails with Rachel and the next a huge storm broke out. The ship rippled in the strong wind and Helena felt a wave of nausea sweep over her. After she realized that it wouldn't stop, she decided to go back to her cabin and lie down.

King Simon was looking for his wife at the bar, but he only found her assistant sitting there and flirting with a waiter.

"Did you see my wife?" – Simon asked her, feeling a bit uncomfortable because of the intrusion.

Rachel turned away from the waiter and answered the King willingly:

"She didn't feel well. She went back to her cabin to lie down."

Simon quickly went to the Royal Suite which was the biggest cabin on the cruise, famous for its large windows with a great view to the sea. It consisted of a living room with a separated bar area, a swimming pool and two bedrooms. The King found his wife in the second bedroom, lying in the large double bed with her arms crossed on her forehead.

"There is no air in here." – he remarked as soon as he entered the room.

"I don't care." – the Queen mumbled.

Her husband walked over to the bed and took the blanket off her.

"Come on, get up! I'll take you out." – he said firmly and tried to pull her gently in a sitting position.

"Nooo. What are you doing?" – Helena shouted angrily.

"As unbelievable as it is, I'm trying to help." – the King replied resentfully.

The Queen wrapped the blanket around herself and curled up underneath it.

"Just leave me alone. I'm not feeling well." – she whispered.

The King gently caressed her shoulders and said to her patiently:

"Laying only makes the nausea worse. Trust me! I was in the Navy, I know a thing or two about sea sickness. I can make you feel better if you let me."

Helena looked at him suspiciously, then she slowly sat up.

"Okay." – she replied and gave her hand to her husband.

Simon led her out of the room and they didn't stop until they reached the deck. The storm was raging around them, but they didn't care. The King stood under the mast and pulled the Queen to himself. She leaned her back against his chest while he put his arms around her waist.

"Don't close your eyes." – Simon said to his wife. – "Do you see that big mountain over there?"

Helena looked at the pointed direction and nodded.

"Focus your gaze on it." – her husband ordered her.

She did what she was told and fixed her look on the mountain.

"Are you feeling better?" – King Simon asked after a while.

"A little bit." – she replied with a smile.

The rain didn't want to stop and the King began to feel a little uncomfortable.

"And now?" – he asked again.

The Queen let out a relieved sigh.

"It passed. Thank you!" – she remarked in astonishment.

"It was about time." – her husband remarked happily. – "Our clothes are soaked with rain."

"I'm freezing." – Queen Helena said after they got back to their suite and quickly threw off her wet clothes.

"Me too." – The King agreed. – "I think I will take a shower."

"Or…" – the Queen remarked flirtatiously and stepped closer to her husband. – "…we could warm each other."

King Simon didn't need much persuasion and one minute later they found themselves on the bed under the warm covers. They were still laying there peacefully when the beeping sound of a mobile phone broke the silence. Helena moaned in protest, then she got out of the bed to find her mobile.

"What is it?" – Simon asked.

"It's from Robert." – the Queen replied with a smile. – "He asks if we strangled each other in the water."

The King shook his head at his son's insolence, but he had no time to express his opinion. His wife slipped back next to him in the bed and held her phone above their heads.

"Come here. I'll send him a picture." – she said to answer his unasked question.

However, taking a photo without seeing the phone's display was harder than she thought.

"Damn it! They should really invent a frontal camera." – she remarked, annoyed.

"Is this really possible?" – the King asked in shock.

"Yes. The first phone with a front-facing camera. I have waited for it son long." – his wife remarked with a content sigh. – "I ordered one for you too, but I should have known that you wouldn't use it."

When the picture was finally taken, she sent it to her son with the message: _"Proof of life."_

Robert's reply arrived immediately.

" _:) :) You seem like having fun."_

The Queen texted him back.

" _Is everything all right at home?"_

Her son gave her a short report on the ongoing situation in the Palace.

" _Define: all right. Lenny wants to quit ballet. She cut her dress in pieces…"_

"I can't believe this!" – Helena cried out and dropped her phone on the bed.

"What happened?" – Simon asked in a worried voice.

Queen Helena waited a moment to calm down before she broke the news to her husband:

"Eleanor quit dance."

The King let out a bitter laughter.

"Are you surprised? Piano, drawing, karate, spelling bee… She does this all the time. And why wouldn't she when you let her do it without any consequences?" – he asked his wife accusingly.

"Please. You know damn well that I can't make her do anything she doesn't want to." – Helena hissed angrily.

Her husband gave her a disappointed sigh and said:

"Too bad. Because she is so talented in everything."

"She just needs focus and control." – the Queen remarked firmly.

King Simon looked at her and answered with a hidden threat in his voice:

"Don't start it."

"Yes, I start it." – Helena snapped at him. – "Boarding school would do great for her."

Simon cried out furiously:

"Why do you want to get rid of your own daughter so much?"

The Queen didn't even consider to answer to this outrageous accusation. She decided to start a counterattack instead.

"Robert will go to Eton next year…" – she said softly.

The King didn't take this argument seriously as he replied with ease:

"That is different. It's tradition. I went to Eton, my father went to Eton and…"

"Exactly." – his wife interrupted him. – "And I accepted it. I have no say in Robert's education, but I get to decide about the future of the twins."

King Simon cried out indignantly:

"What about me? I'm their father, I also have rights."

Helena couldn't hold back a scornful smile as she said:

"Actually, you don't. It's in our marriage contract. Except for the first born, every children's upbringing is my responsibility."

Simon's eyes widened in shock. He forgot about the marriage contract a long time ago. It was quite a shock for him that his wife remembered it so vividly.

"Would you really use a stupid marriage contract against me?" – he asked in disbelief.

Queen Helena shrugged her shoulders.

"If I have to." – she remarked in mock ease.

The King gave her a pleading look.

"Please, just give her one last chance." – he asked her in a gentle voice.

Helena hesitated for a moment, then she nodded in agreement.

"All right, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you." – she said after her husband's grateful gaze met hers. – "It's very unlikely that something will suddenly make her change her attitude."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

 **A.N. Sorry for not uploading this chapter sooner, but I was on a vacation. Thank you for your amazing reviews I really appreciate them. JulietLovesStories I loved your points. Point 3.: yes, Simon knows about Helena's affair, but he never confronts her about it. So I can show you more about his feelings in the next chapter (not in this one), but it won't be much. :)**

* * *

At the Queen's biggest annoyance, her dizziness and nausea didn't pass after they returned from the one-month trip. It has been two weeks since she was back in the Palace, but she didn't feel any difference.

"I know that you are a firm believer of the wonders of the Internet, but shouldn't you see a real doctor?" – the King asked her one morning after she staggered out of the bathroom.

Helena looked at him resentfully.

"First of all, WebDoctor _is_ a real doctor. I don't say I would let him perform a surgery on me, but he can perfectly diagnose my mal de débarquement." – she said with ease.

King Simon shrugged his shoulders.

"If you say so…" – he mumbled.

"I had seasickness and now my body can't process that we are suddenly back on land. It's completely logical."

Her husband just rolled his eyes, but didn't bother to answer so the Queen added in a scornful tone:

"You don't really care anyway."

Simon hesitated for a moment, then he coudn't hold back his anger.

"Right, I don't." – he hissed. – "I just hate being woken up to your retching every morning."

Helena gave him a triumphant smile.

"Finally, the truth is out." – she said sarcastically, then she added. – "The seamstresses are here to take our measurements. Be ready in an hour."

* * *

Queen Helena was standing on a footstool in her large dressing room, changing text messages with her assistant about the daily tasks, while the seamstresses quietly took the measurements they needed for her new gown.

Suddenly, the two women stopped their work and exchanged a quick glance. Helena saw that from the corner of her eyes and looked down at them.

"Is there a problem?" – she asked with no real interest.

The seamstresses looked at each other again, then one of them turned to the Queen:

"Your waistline is half inch bigger than it was."

Helena frowned for a moment, but she wasn't interested in the topic so much.

"Half inch." – she remarked indifferently. – "Thank you for sharing it with me."

The other seamstress, the older one replied timidly, avoiding the Queen's gaze.

"I have taken Your Majesty's measurements for eight years now. It has never changed until today."

"It sounds like your problem, not mine." – Queen Helena snapped at her as she was really getting annoyed by the two of them. If it hadn't been enough, she began to feel dizzy again.

She carefully stepped off the stool and sat in the closest chair to her. The two seamstresses didn't know what to do, the situation was as awkward as it could be. Finally, the younger one plucked up her courage and spoke:

"If this is not the right time of the month for you, we can come back another day." – she suggested.

The Queen didn't understand at first what she talked about, but then she realized that the girl was referring very diplomatically to her period. She guessed wrong, however, it was a good excuse for Helena to get rid of them.

After the two women left, suddenly everything fell into place. _The nausea, the dizziness, the mood swings: it all made sense… much more than the stupid mal de débarquement._

* * *

After this revelation the Queen went straight to Robert's room. She found th Prince with his best friend, Twysden Beckwith.

"Hello Beck! It was good to see you." – Helena began, not wasting much time on courtesy. – "A car is waiting for you outside. Send my regards to your mother."

Beck quickly grabbed his things and left the room with a slight bow.

"Mum! What the hell was that? You can't just come in here and throw out my best friend like this!" – Robert shouted at his mother after the door was closed behind his friend.

"I think I just did." – the Queen replied absently. – "Anyway, what were you doing here so secretly?"

Prince Robert threw his blanket carelessly to the other side of the bed where Beck was sitting earlier.

"Nothing, we just…" – he mumbled, but it was too late.

His mother noticed what he did and she quickly revealed what he tried to hide. It was a couple of adult magazines in a pretty torn shape.

"Ha! Would you still say that I had no right to send home your friend?" – Helena remarked with a smile, seeming amused rather than angry.

Robert lowered his eyes in shame.

"Please don't say it to Dad." – he begged.

Queen Helena let out a genuine laughter.

"Do you think so little of me? Of course I won't tell him." – she said in mock resentment. – "I think it's perfectly normal in your age to be… curious and if you have any questions…"

The young Prince turned red and he cried out indignantly:

"Mum! This is so embarrassing."

Helena shrugged her shoulders.

"I think you deserve that much." – she replied, then she added more seriously: – "But you know the rule: what you do in private…"

"… has to stay in private, I know." – Robert finished her sentence. – "No one will know about it."

They were silent for a while then Prince Robert asked his mother:

"So did you just come for a raid or is there something else?"

The Queen couldn't hold back a nervous sigh as she looked into her son's eyes.

"There is." – she said faintly. – "Robert, I think I'm pregnant."

Her son cried out in disbelief:

"What? How is this possible?"

"It's not like I'm fifty years old." – Helena replied to him reproachfully. – "I'm thirty-four, it's very much possible."

Robert needed a minute to process the information and gather his strength to ask the inevitable question:

"Is it Dad's baby?"

His mother wasn't prepared for this.

"Robert!" – she shouted indignantly.

Prince Robert shrugged his shoulders like he didn't care.

"I wish I don't have to ask." – he remarked in mock ease.

Helena looked at him and she could see in his eyes all the damage she caused when she told him the truth about Alistair.

"Yes, it's your father's." – she said firmly, then she added, in case her son needed more proof. – "It happened on the cruise."

Robert quietly nodded before he asked his next question.

"What are you going to do?"

"There is not much to do about it. Your father and I are going to have another baby. You are going to have another brother or sister." – the Queen remarked softly. – "Are you surprised that I told you first?"

Her son shook his head.

"No. You always tell me first. You told me first about the twins." – he reminded his mother in a cheerful voice.

"Yes, I remember." – Helena said with a dim smile.

Robert looked at his mother and gulped.

"Mum, are you happy about it?" – he finally asked.

The Queen looked back at him with surprise.

"Mostly… Happy and excited, but also a bit nervous." – she answered honestly, then she continued, lost in thoughts. – "The last time I was pregnant it was eleven years ago. A lot of things have changed. I don't know what the people will think… what your father will think."

Now it was Prince Robert's turn to be surprised about his mother's uncertainty.

"You know what they will think. The people adore royal babies. And Dad will be delighted too." – he said reassuringly.

Helena was more afraid than she would have admitted, even to herself.

"Do you think so?" – she mumbled, secretly seeking comfort in her son's eyes.

Then she realized she had let her mask slip so she remarked in mock indifference:

"We were in love when we had the twins."

As always, Robert knew what she wanted to hear.

"You were not in love when you had me…" – he began.

"…but we fell in love after you were born." – his mother finished his thought.

Prince Robert gave her a big smile. He felt a wave of optimism that he didn't let himself too often. Suddenly he heard his own hopeful voice, saying out loud his thoughts:

"Maybe you will fall in love again."

"Maybe…" – Helena repeated, thinking of Alistair for a moment, then she eyed her son up and down. – "Robert, how do _you_ feel about it?"

The young Prince shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm happy until you are happy, and Dad and the twins… and the monarchy."

"Sometimes I just hate the monarchy." – Helena sighed, surprised even herself that she said it out loud.

Robert understood his mother better than anyone. He knew that she lived for the monarchy and as the heir to the British throne, so did he. Although they didn't rebel against this life like the King or the twins sometimes, it didn't mean that they always loved it.

"I know, but this is our life." – he replied softly. – "At least, we are in it together."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Royal Family sat around the breakfast table together as always. The King read his newspaper, the twins played with their food while the Queen engaged in a debate with Prince Robert on animal rights.

"What about hunting? Killing for sport is as bad as killing for fashion." – Robert presented his argument.

Queen Helena shook her head.

"Not if you eat them after. Then, you just accept your part in the food chain." – she pointed out.

Her son didn't give up so easily. He was sure he could win this. He smiled at his mother as he said:

"So you would wear… for example a rabbit fur coat if it was made of a rabbit someone had previously hunted and eaten."

Helena was about to answer, but suddenly the door open and a maid came in with a big plate of boiled eggs for the breakfast. The Queen turned white as soon as she felt the smell of egg and had real trouble to keep down the content of her empty stomach. The maid was almost next to her with the plate when she shouted at her:

"Don't put it down!" – she hissed. – "Turn around, go to the kitchen and come back when you figured out what is acceptable on a breakfast table."

The poor girl almost ran out of the room with tears in her eyes. The children (except for Robert) watched the scene open-mouthed, Eleanor even enjoyed it as usual when her mother's anger was directed against someone else and not her. The King looked at the young maid with sympathy, then turned to his wife.

"Do you enjoy this? Why do you have to be like this?" – he cried out indignantly.

The Queen still felt sick so she walked over to the window and opened it to breathe the fresh air.

"I'm disgusted with supermarket egg, you know that." – she said with mock ease.

King Simon slapped the table with his fist in frustration.

"There is no difference!" – he shouted.

Helena didn't want to argue, but he really knew how to make her angry.

"Just because you don't give a shit, it doesn't mean that there is no such thing as quality." – she snapped at him. – "There _is_ a difference: the smell, the taste, the colour, the smell…"

Even speaking of eggs made the Queen feel terrible.

"Can we not talk about eggs, please?" – she asked weakly.

Prince Liam and Princess Eleanor simultaneously began to chant:

"Eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs, eggs…"

"Stop it!" – Helena shouted in an ominous voice and the twins became silent.

The King shook his head and mumbled under his breath:

"You are insane."

The Queen heard what he said and she was about to answer, but Prince Robert interrupted them.

"Dad, please!" – he cried out painfully, then he turned to his mother. – "I think it's time to tell them, Mom."

King Simon and the twins all stared at Helena.

"Tell us what?" – Eleanor asked curiously.

The Queen gave Robert a reproachful look. That wasn't the way she wanted to share the news with her family. She still stood at the window, half-hidden by the sash when she finally spoke:

"I'm expecting a child." – she announced neutrally.

"For breakfast?" – Prince Liam asked in confusion.

Queen Helena let out a soft chuckle. She stepped away from the window and walked back to her seat.

"No, darling." – she said gently, looking at Liam. – "I'm pregnant."

The silence fell on the room again. Princess Eleanor was the first who realized what the Queen's words meant.

"That's wonderful. I'm going to be a big sister!" – she cried out happily and ran to her mother. – "I hope it's a girl. We have enough boys already."

Helena let her sit on her lap and patiently replied to her endless questions.

"When will she be born? Can she sleep in my room? What will be her name?" – she sputtered, without taking a breath.

" _He_ or _she_ will be born in eight months and will probably have his or her own room... and we have plenty of time to decide about the name." – the Queen answered, while she was caressing her daughter's hair. – "But it's still our secret so I'd like to ask you not to tell anyone."

The Princess was ready to ask another storm of questions, but her brother interrupted her.

"You are a bad mom. You shouldn't have another child." – Liam remarked as he looked stubbornly in his mother's eyes.

His words hurt Helena more than she would have imagined.

"You shouldn't say out loud everything you think, Liam." – she replied resentfully.

Thanks to the twins, the Queen completely forgot about her husband. She only noticed his presence when he cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Children, why don't you go to your room so your mother and I can talk in private?" – he asked them gently.

Robert, Liam and Eleanor obeyed immediately to their father. Before they left the dinning room, the Princess turned back for a moment to ask her mother:

"Can I tell Penelope and Maribel?"

"If you can make sure that they won't tell anybody…" – Helena replied to her daughter after thinking.

Since the two Princesses came to stay in the Palace with their father for the summer, Eleanor spent a lot of time with them.

"They are terrified of me." – Eleanor said proudly. – "They won't tell anyone."

King Simon shook his head disapprovingly, but the Queen seemed to be content with this answer.

"I'll trust you on this, Eleanor." – she said in a serious tone before she let her daughter go.

* * *

"Why don't we take a walk outside?" – King Simon suggested, then he added gently. – "If you feel up to it, of course."

"Sure. Why not?" – his wife nodded assent and followed her husband to the gardens.

They walked quietly for a while, then Helena couldn't take the silence anymore. She suddenly stopped, which made her husband stop as well.

"Simon, please, say something." – she said in an almost begging voice.

The King let out a big sigh and looked at her.

"How far along are you?" – he asked objectively.

Queen Helena frowned and eyed him suspiciously. That was not the reaction she expected from her husband.

"My guess is six weeks." – she finally said. – "It must have happened on the ship during that big storm. Unfortunately, I don't recall any other time, do you?"

Simon shook his head. He didn't remember any other time either, no matter how tragic it was for their married life. Of course it didn't mean that Helena couldn't have been with someone else. He knew that she had a lover and a few years ago the King found out about his wife's secret spa dates. He noticed that sometimes when she came home from the spa her hair was a bit wet and her skin had an intense coconut scent, but sometimes she returned just the same as before. Simon couldn't remember whether he felt the coconut on her the last time or not.

The Queen's voice dragged him out of his thoughts.

"I didn't plan this, if that's what you think. I didn't want to deceive you or manipulate you… or increase my influence. It was spontaneous." – Helena remarked softly after a while.

The King wanted to believe his wife so much that he decided to believe her. He grabbed her hand and gently rubbed it with his thumb while he spoke:

"I know. We had a good time on that trip. It didn't happen in a long time." – he mumbled, carefully avoiding her gaze.

Helena nervously pulled her hand out of his, which forced him to look at her.

"Listen, Simon, I don't know how you feel, but I'm happy about this baby." – she said angrier than she intended. – "I don't expect that it will bring us closer again and…"

"But I do." – her husband quickly interrupted her. – "I do hope that it will bring us closer. And of course I'm happy for the baby. How could I not be?"

The Queen let out a relieved sigh. She looked at her husband to find the truth in his eyes and he looked back at her. They smiled at each other and their gaze suddenly changed. They radiated pure joy. King Simon hugged his wife tightly and there was no need for words anymore.

Helena pressed a quick kiss on her husband's lips and pulled closer to him while they walked back to the Palace.

"I'm scared. Everything is different now. We were young when we had the twins…" – she admitted with a sigh.

"We are still young. At least, you are. I will be forty, an old man basically, by the time this baby is born." – the King replied jokingly.

"Such vanity." – Helena cried out with overacted indignation. – "You are on the top of your life, you know that. And personally I think that these little grey hairs just made you even sexier."

Simon looked her in the eye and laughed at her.

"Really? So you don't think that I should dye it…" – he said thoughtfully like he was really considering the possibility. – "Let's say blue for example."

Queen Helena imagined her husband with blue hair and she couldn't hold back a smile. Then she quickly regained her composure.

"I said you are still young, but not _that_ young." – the Queen said with ease.

"Wow! You can be mean, my love." – Simon cried out in surprise. – "No wonder Eleanor is so sassy."

"Because of me? It's not true. I never encouraged her to…" – Helena protested, but her husband silenced her with a long kiss.

* * *

When they got back to the Palace, another surprise greeted them. Someone was playing the piano. The King and the Queen followed the sound and soon they found themselves in their daughter's room.

"What is the piano doing here?" – Helena asked in surprise.

Princess Eleanor shrugged her shoulders,

"I had it brought up from the basement." – she said with ease

"Yes, I can see that." – her mother answered, a bit annoyed. – "But why?"

"I want to play for my sister…" – Eleanor said proudly.

The Queen was genuinely touched by this gesture, but she also remembered that persistence wasn't her daughter's strong suit.

"That's very sweet. I'm sure she will appreciate it." – she replied with a smile, then she added in a different tone. – "Well, if you don't give up until she is born, which I doubt very much."

"Helena!" – the King cried out reproachfully.

His wife looked at him and said with indifference:

"You know I'm right."

Her mother's derogatory words didn't discourage Eleanor as she demanded in a firm voice:

"I want to play for her now."

Helena stepped closer to her and caressed her long hair.

"I'm always happy to listen to you, darling, but we have to do this some other time." – she said gently. – "I have a lot of work right now."

The Princess shook her head in protest.

"I don't want to play for you, I want to play for her. _She_ doesn't have anything to do."

The Queen seemed to be amused by this argument.

"I'm afraid that until we share my body, she must go where I go." – she said with ease and she was about to leave.

Eleanor, however, didn't finish.

"Or you must stay where she stays." – she remarked in mock innocence, which she knew was generally considered cute.

King Simon couldn't hold back a laughter.

"If we put it that way… It's just a question of priority." – he remarked, still smiling.

His daughter nodded in agreement:

"Exactly. Thank you, Dad."

Helena gave a reproachful look to her husband, then turned to the Princess again.

"For God's sake, Eleanor, she is smaller than a peanut." – she cried out in anger. – "She can't make her own choices."

Princess Eleanor was never afraid to talk back to her mother and she was always ready with an answer:

"It doesn't mean that you are more important." – she replied in a calm tone.

"Yes, it does." – the Queen snapped at her because she began to lose her temper.

Eleanor could see her impatience and provoked her further:

"So you are more important than me?" – she asked while she started to walk little circles around her mother.

"I am." – her mother replied without batting an eye.

She followed her daughter's movement with her eyes as she disappeared and reappeared in front of her.

The Princess could see her suspicion and confusion. She could barely hold back a grin.

"If we were in a burning house and the firefighters could only save one person, who would you choose: me or yourself?" – she asked.

Helena replied without hesitation:

"You, of course, but…"

Her daughter didn't let her finish.

"I have no more questions." – she said with ease and stopped in front of her mother.

The Queen shook her head in disbelief. She was angry and proud of her daughter at the same time. She didn't know if it was the pregnancy that already softened her or the fact that Liam's words still echoed in her head, but she decided to let Eleanor have it her way.

"Fine, I'll stay. But only ten minutes." – she said and sat beside her husband on their daughter's bed.

Eleanor was playing the piano as if she didn't miss one day of practice since she quit years ago. The sound of Chopin concertos and difficult Bach fugues filled the Palace. The King and the Queen were mesmerized and they didn't even notice that hours passed while they were listening to their daughter.

"I guess that boarding school is not so urgent matter now." – King Simon whispered to his wife.

"I guess it's not." – Helena replied with a smile.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

The King and the Queen were on their way back from a charity event when suddenly a group of motorcyclist paparazzi surrounded their car.

"How far are we from the Palace?" – Helena asked her security detail in forced calmness.

The bodyguard looked out the window and replied:

"About ten minutes… if we can get rid of them."

"Then get rid of them. Speed up!" – the Queen ordered in a peremptory tone.

The man quietly nodded and he was about to transmit the command to the driver, but the King stopped him.

"No." – he said firmly. – "Slow down. Let them get what they want and they will go away eventually."

The bodyguard looked from one to the other, helplessly, not knowing who he should listen to.

"Eventually…" – Queen Helena echoed her husband's last words angrily and shook her head.

She leaned over in front of her security detail to look out the window. She didn't fail to notice the bodyguard's gaze that wandered to her breasts while she did it. Immediately, a photographer appeared on the other side and knocked on the pane. The Queen quickly pulled back.

"Eventually, they will break the window." – she remarked scornfully.

"We won't speed up. It's too dangerous." – King Simon repeated his order nervously.

Helena could hear the fear in his voice and this made her more frightened too.

"I don't know if you noticed…" – she hissed angrily – "...but I have a thing about being attacked in a car."

The King wanted to tell her something reassuring, but they suddenly heard the driver's voice over their security detail's walkie-talkie:

"They are chasing us into the tunnel. Attention, please! Level 2 Protocol!"

"Copy that." – replied the bodyguard and turned to the Royal Couple. – "Your Majesties, I have to ask you to bend down and place your hands on your head."

The Queen and the King obeyed, they leaned forward with one arm on their nape, but with the other one they grasped each other's hand.

"Ralph?" – Helena asked her bodyguard after a couple of minutes.

The man stared out of the window, looking for potential threats while he answered:

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Where is the other car?" – the Queen asked, referring to the car with the rest of their staff who accompanied them to the event.

"Right in front of us." – came the concise answer.

Helena hesitated a bit, then she shared her idea with the bodyguard.

"If we could get beside it after we left the tunnel and then go in separate ways, it would confuse the paparazzi. They wouldn't know which car to follow."

Ralph nodded in agreement.

"That could work." – he remarked in a firm voice. – "But one of you have to sit next to the driver."

"Why?" – King Simon asked nervously.

"For safety reasons. The front windows are bulletproof and Jack… the driver is ex-military." – the bodyguard explained. After a short pause, he added: – "There are additional weapons in the glove compartment so I suggest it should be you, Sir, who sits there."

Helena and Simon exchanged a quick look and agreed to the plan. Ralph gave out the orders to the driver and his colleagues in the other car and the King climbed into the passenger seat.

It worked. They managed to get rid the majority of the photographers and safely get back to the Palace, where other security details waited to escort them inside.

* * *

"What the hell just happened?" – the Queen shouted at her assistant, with her hands still shaking from the shock.

Rachel quickly shut the door of the study so no one could hear them. She didn't see her boss so angry for a long time.

The King grabbed his wife's hands and started to rub them gently with his thumbs.

"Please, try to calm down, my love. You know it's not worth it." – he whispered into her ears.

Helena pulled her hands out of his with such force that she almost lost her balance.

"Just get out!" – she snapped at him, then she added apologetically: – "I'm sorry, Simon. The sooner I get to the bottom of this, the sooner I can calm down."

Her husband quietly nodded. He gave her a short kiss and sat down on a chair next to her desk.

Rachel gave the Queen a printed article from the website of a well-known tabloid.

"It's a rumour about your alleged pregnancy." – she explained shortly. – "With a fake ultrasound picture."

"Damn it!" – Helena cried out in indignation.

She looked at her husband and gave him the article. Then, she turned back to her assistant.

"It's not a rumour, I _am_ pregnant." – she said with a sigh and lowered her eyes. – "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I thought it was still too early."

Rachel nodded and replied objectively:

"Your Majesty's personal life is none of my business until it gets public. Now it got public so what should I do?"

King Simon ran through the article and asked the obvious question:

"Who was the source?"

His wife's assistant looked at him like she was seeing him for the first time. She wasn't used to his presence during her meetings with the Queen.

"A family member." – she answered willingly. – "At least that is what they say. Do you have any idea who it might be?"

"I know exactly who it was." – Helena said firmly at the others' surprise and headed towards the door.

Rachel's voice stopped her just before she could have left the room.

"Wait! What do I tell the press?" – she asked.

The Queen turned to her husband, then back to her assistant, hesitantly.

"Just confirm." – she finally decided. – "There is no point in denying it anymore."

* * *

Queen Helena rounded up her daughter and her dumb nieces in the closest room and locked the door so no one could escape. The three girls sat side by side on a small sofa and watched the Queen's every movement in horror.

Helena sat across from them and looked from one to the other.

"I really trusted you, Eleanor." – she finally said.

The Princess lowered her eyes and mumbled with guilt:

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"Why did you give them the ultrasound picture?" – her mother demanded, deliberately ignoring the tears in her daughter's eyes.

Eleanor shook her head and gulped.

"I didn't." – she protested. – "They stole it."

The Queen turned her attention to Princess Maribel and Penelope. She raised their bowed heads and forced them to look her in the eye.

"Do you know what people used to do with thieves?" – she asked and carefully calculated the pause before she continued. – "They cut off their hands. That's right. They chopped them off with an axe."

Maribel and Penelope screamed as if a horror film came to life in front of them.

"It wasn't me!" – Maribel cried.

Helena wickedly remained silent before she spoke again.

"I know. It was your worthless mother." – the Queen replied with disgust. – "But you were the one who told her about my pregnancy. Do you have any idea what they did to those who spilled out royal secrets?"

Princess Eleanor really enjoyed seeing the growing terror in her cousins' eyes.

"Cut out their tongues!" – she cried out in enthusiasm.

The two Princesses screamed again. Then, someone knocked on the door.

"This might be the axeman." – Eleanor remarked scornfully.

Maribel and Penelope screamed again. The Queen walked over to the door and opened it. Prince Cyrus entered the room and his daughters immediately rushed to his side.

"What is going on?" – he asked, rather annoyed.

Helena folded her arms in satisfaction.

"Just in time to punish your dumb offsprings." – she remarked with her eyes blazing in anger. – "Thanks to them and your stripper ex-wife, now the whole world knows that I'm pregnant."

"She wants to cut out our tongues. Don't let her, Daddy, please!" – Penelope cried aloud, her face buried in her father's stomach.

"You shouldn't believe everything she says." – Cyrus hissed in contempt. – "Now get out. Idiots."

Queen Helena watched the two girls running out of the room.

"That's all?" – she asked in shock.

Prince Cyrus shrugged his shoulders.

"Parenting is not my strong suit." – he remarked sarcastically.

The Queen shook her head in disbelief:

"So you just let them get away with it."

Her brother-in-law stepped closer to her and cried out in a sudden anger:

"They are little girls, you are an adult. Yet, you threatened them to cut out their tongues. I'm not sure who would deserve punishment here."

Helena was speechless for a moment, then she quickly found her voice:

"Cyrus, the protective father. That's new." – she remarked scornfully. – "Fine. Don't punish them, just keep the two little brats out of my sight."

* * *

Later that day, the King, the Queen and their children went out to the garden for a picnic. Eleanor and Robert pestered their parents for weeks about it, so Simon and Helena finally agreed to decide together on the baby's name. Everyone could suggest three boy and three girl names by writing them down anonymously on a piece of paper, which they collected in a big jar. When they were ready, they began to pull out the names one by one from the bottle.

They were already halfway through when King Simon cried out in shock:

"India?! No way! It's unnecessary for the whole world to know where she was conceived."

The Queen looked at him, a bit offended, then she turned to her children, trying to manipulate them:

"I'm not sure you know the rules, children, but you can always make alliances. For example, if you support me now, I can support you later." – she began, but her plan didn't work. – "Still nobody? Robert?"

"Tempting, but no." – Prince Robert replied with a grin. – "My sister would never forgive me if I exposed her to a lifetime of bullying."

Helena rolled her eyes and let her son pull out the next name:

"Let's see. It's a boy name: Jonathan."

"I hate it." – the Queen said immediately.

"You are just angry because we said no to 'India'." – Robert protested.

His mother gave him a triumphant smile.

"So it's yours." – she remarked, then she added: – "No, I'm not angry. I just hate this name."

Princess Eleanor took her mother's side.

"I don't like it either. What about…" – she started and picked up the next note. – "…Ken?"

"Again? That is cheating." – Prince Liam cried out angrily. – "You should have chosen three different names."

Prince Robert was keen on keeping the peace between his siblings, so he handled the situation the most democratic way.

"Let's vote again." – he suggested. He looked around, but just as earlier, no one supported Eleanor's choice. – "No one? All right. Next one: Eric."

Simon let out a surprised sigh.

"After my father…" – he mumbled and looked at his wife.

"Yes." – Helena replied in a serious tone, then she turned to her daughter and added teasingly: – "I would have written it down three times, but I'm not a cheater."

The King pulled her in his arms and kissed her.

"Thank you." – he whispered, touched. – "You got me on this. Anybody else?"

The children looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Although the twins didn't know their grandfather and Robert remembered him very little, but they heard stories of him and more importantly they knew how much both their parents loved him. They all raised their hands to vote for the name.

Eleanor read out the next name:

"Alice."

"Princess Alice… I love it. Whose choice is that?" – Helena asked in surprise and looked around. Her younger son looked back at her and shrugged his shoulders.

The Queen climbed over the blanket and hugged him tightly.

"Liam! That's a beautiful name." – she cried out happily. – "Who is with us?"

The King also liked it so he raised his hand immediately. Robert and Eleanor hesitated for a moment, but neither of them had any girl names left in the jar and _Alice_ seemed to be an acceptable choice. They voted for it too.

"Alice and Eric. Too bad you are not expecting twins." – King Simon said cheerfully to his wife.

Helena playfully hit him on the head.

"Speak for yourself, darling." – she replied with a laugh and gave her husband a gentle kiss. – "I'm perfectly happy with one baby."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

It was a long day behind Queen Helena. The newly elected President and First Lady of the United States were coming to dinner to the Palace and everything had to be perfect. The day passed so quickly and the Queen barely had time left to get ready for the evening.

"Shall we go?" – she asked her husband after she made the final touches on her makeup.

King Simon walked out of the bathroom and looked at his wife in horror.

"Whose idea was to dress you up like Marie Antoinette?" – he asked laughingly.

"Marie Antoinette… not bad." – Helena mumbled with a dim smile. – "Robert says I look like the Witch from Narnia. Anyway, the designers always go crazy when I'm pregnant. They know they won't be able to dress me properly for six months and they overcompensate."

Simon stepped closer to her and put his arms around her.

"You suffer for the greater good, my love." – he said teasingly and kissed her.

Helena let out a soft chuckle.

"If they cast me in Narnia, it will definitely worth it."

* * *

Fifty people sat around the huge dinner table, the majority of them British and American diplomats. The President sat at the head of the table with the King on one side and the Queen on the other. The First Lady was seated next to the Queen. As their husbands began to talk about football, the two women engaged in a different conversation.

"Your children are beautiful and they are also very polite." – the First Lady remarked.

Helena didn't want to contradict her so she just thanked her instead.

"They must be under a lot of pressure because of all the attention they get from the people." – the woman continued.

The Queen shook her head.

"No, they are used to it. After all, they were born into the Royal Family." – she said proudly.

She could see the look in the First Lady's eyes and it didn't take a genius to figure out that she was worried about her own children. Helena wanted to say something reassuring for her.

"It will be different for yours, but children can adapt easily." – she said, then she added. – "How old are they now?"

"Peter is fourteen and Jessica is nineteen." – the other woman replied and her face lit up immediately.

She began to talk about her children and apparently, she wasn't short on words when it came to them. As Helena was listening to her, she suddenly felt a twitch in her abdomen. She tried to ignore it, but it only became worse.

"… And Jessie. She is a grown-up woman now. She started college this year." – the First Lady said and she finally stopped talking.

Helena hissed in pain, which she managed to turn into a surprised cry.

"Really? You must be relieved." – she remarked with a faint smile. – "It's always more difficult with a girl."

The First Lady clapped her hands, which made the whole table look at them for a moment.

"Finally someone, who understands me." – she cried out laughingly. – "Everywhere we go and you know we have been to a lot of places lately, I'm telling about my kids, of course, and people are always saying how hard it must be with a teenage boy and I'm like… What are you talking about? I have a _daughter_!"

"Exactly!" – the Queen agreed loudly. – "I have more problems with Eleanor than I have with the two boys together."

"Let's hope that the new one will be a boy then." – the First Lady replied and gave her a wink.

Helena let out a chuckle and smiled at her.

"Oh, I hope so. Just don't tell my daughter, she wants a baby sister."

As if the baby heard what she was talking about, another wave of pain hit her. Stronger than before. As the Queen quickly pressed her hand on her stomach, she accidentally hit the President's arm with her elbow. The man turned to her:

"What are the ladies talking about?" – he asked in a smooth voice.

"Not sports so you would probably not be interested, honey." – his wife replied teasingly.

The President raised his forefinger and playfully threatened her.

"You think so little of me. I bet that Her Majesty could make even the weather an exciting topic."

"Actually, here in England the weather is always an interesting topic. You can never know what to expect." – Helena remarked with a forced smile.

The twinges gave way to sharp cramps and the pain was now almost unbearable. It was more and more difficult to pretend that everything was all right.

"For instance, I usually plan to hold five-six garden parties a year." – she continued in mock ease. – "How many of them are actually held in the garden? Two… or three if we are lucky. Most of the time, we are forced to stay inside because of the rain."

The maids cleared the plates and they were about to serve the dessert. The Queen knew that she had to hold on for only fifteen minutes before the dinner was over. After that, everybody would be mingling in the ballroom and she would have a chance to disappear.

* * *

Helena almost made it to her bedroom. She collapsed in front of the door. Her bodyguard ran to her and helped her up.

"Are you all right, Your Majesty?" – he asked in a worried voice.

"I am. Thank you, Ralph. It's just this dress… It's very uncomfortable. Would you please zip it down for me?" – the Queen said weakly.

She turned her back to the bodyguard and brushed her hair away from her neck so he could reach her dress more easily. Ralph did as he was asked, then stood beside the door.

"Go to the end of the hallway and don't let anyone in here. I will be right back." – Helena ordered her security detail, then she entered her room and shut the door. She rushed to the bathroom and slumped to the floor.

Ralph could see that the Queen was not well at all and he was worried. He wanted to go after her, but he didn't dare to defy the order. After thirty minutes passed and she still didn't come out of her room, the bodyguard decided to alert the Queen's assistant.

Rachel was there in two minutes and she wasn't as shy as her colleague. She entered the room without hesitation, then she went to the bathroom, but it was locked. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

"Your Majesty?" – she cried and knocked again.

"Go away, Rachel." – the Queen shouted back from the other side of the door.

The assistant let out a nervous sigh.

"You know you are not allowed to lock the door. It's against the protocol. Let me in, Helena!" – Rachel cried out again. – "If you don't open the door, I will call the King and have the guards break it."

"Rachel, please, give me a minute." – Queen Helena replied faintly, begging to her assistant. – "One minute, then I will be your Queen again, I promise. Just give me one minute. Okay?"

"Okay." – Rachel said reluctantly.

She pressed her ear to the door and listened. She could hear Queen Helena loudly sobbing. Then, a minute later, Helena opened the door and just as she promised, she was the Queen again. The assistant gasped as soon as she saw Her Majesty's light blue dress soaked with blood.

"I'll call an ambulance." – she mumbled after she recovered from the shock.

"There is no need for that. It's over now." – Helena replied flatly. Then, she suddenly changed her tone and became more focused. – "We have to clean up this mess. The Americans are still here, no one should know about this. Don't look at me like that, find me another dress."

Rachel stared at her in astonishment.

"Do you want to go back there?" – she stammered.

The Queen shrugged her shoulders and replied emotionlessly:

"The President of the United States visited England and met the King. This should be on the news tomorrow, not me.

Her assistant silently nodded and looked at her in admiration. She, too, needed one minute to be Rachel again, but she didn't want to let down her Queen. She walked over to the closet and quickly chose a similar blue gown and gave it to Helena.

"I'll call a _Silent Mary_ to clean up the bathroom and I'll send all the photographers home. I'll call Dr. Taylor and put him in a guest room so you can see him in case you need him." – she said in a firm voice.

"Thank you, Rachel." – the Queen answered with a dim smile and looked gratefully at her assistant.

* * *

Pretending to be still pregnant, smiling and talking about the baby like everything was all right was more challenging, both physically and emotionally for the Queen than she thought. By the time she and the King got back to their room, she was so exhausted that she fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

 _Queen Helena found herself on a waste white land covered with snow. She could barely see in the blizzard. Suddenly a sleigh appeared with a woman in it._

" _What is this place?" – Helena asked, shivering._

 _The driver slapped her whip on the two reindeer who pulled the sleigh and stopped the vehicle._

" _Welcome to Narnia! Get in!" – she ordered the Queen._

 _Helena obeyed and sat next to her. Now she could finally see the woman's face under the big hood she wore and recognized her immediately._

" _Where are you taking me, Dominique?" – she asked her._

 _Dominique Stewart smiled at her, but she didn't answer. Soon, they arrived at a castle, which was made entirely of ice. Dominique stopped the horses and got out of the carriage. She entered the castle and motioned Helena to follow her. She led her to an almost empty room. The dim light of the torches lit a cradle in the middle. The Queen stepped closer and she saw a baby girl lying in it._

" _Give her back!" – she ordered the other woman._

 _Dominique gave a loud laugh._

" _Alice, right? She belongs with me now." – she said scornfully._

" _I'm her mother. You have to give her back to me." – Helena answered in a firm voice and tried to take her daughter out of the crib, but the other woman was quicker. He waved her whip and the Queen instinctively drew back._

 _Dominique didn't hide that she enjoyed the situation._

" _I was waiting for her for so long." – she remarked thoughtfully. – "She was supposed to be mine. Everything you have supposed to be mine. This is just the beginning. I will take them all away from you."_

" _I won't let that happen." – the Queen shouted at her._

 _She tried to approach the crib again, but this time Dominique didn't just threaten. The whip hit Helena hard on the stomach and she fell on the floor._

 _The other woman stepped closer and looked her in the eye._

" _I will come for all of them."_

" _No!" – Helena cried out and she jumped to her feet._

 _She suddenly grabbed a torch and waved it in front of Dominique. Her long dress caught fire immediately and she screamed in pain. The Queen looked her with a triumphant smile and she failed to notice her next move. Dominique touched her ankle and pulled her onto the ground. Helena felt the flames reaching for her and burning her body…._

That was the moment when she woke up.

She was still hot and she realized that it was because of her husband, who wrapped his arm around her in his sleep. His warm hand on her stomach made her feel like she was burning. She carefully removed his arm from her and got out of the bed.

* * *

She wandered the empty corridors and rooms of the Palace until she reached the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of champagne that was left from the dinner and without thinking she made her way to her brother-in-law's room.

"I was sleeping. What are you doing here?" – Prince Cyrus asked in shock when he opened the door.

"I'm here to celebrate." – Helena answered in mock ease, waving the bottle in her hand and walked into the room.

Cyrus rubbed his eyes to fully wake up.

"Celebrate what?" – he asked, uninterested.

"Your place in the line of succession. You are still the fourth and it will stay that way." – the Queen explained with forced happiness in her voice.

Her brother-in-law needed a little time to process the information, but he finally understood.

"For God's sake, Helena, have more decency." – he cried out angrily. – "It was your child."

The Queen shrugged her shoulders and sank into an armchair.

"I thought you would be happy." – she mumbled and lowered her eyes.

Prince Cyrus snorted in disbelief and looked at her with pity.

"Does Simon know about this?" – he asked softly.

Helena shook her head, struggling to hold back her tears.

Cyrus opened his liquor cabinet and took out an unlabeled bottle. He poured a drink for his sister-in-law and said:

"Homemade vodka from the Russian ambassador. It will knock you out until morning or give you the courage to tell your husband what happened."

Queen Helena took the glass and downed its content.

"You can't allow yourself a breakdown. You are the Queen of England." – Prince Cyrus remarked in a firm voice.

"I know." – Helena replied and stood up. – "Thank you, Cyrus."


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

 **A.N. Thanks for the reviews, I'm so happy that after more than half a year, there are still so many readers, although my story is not always the most heartwarming one. I'm planning some more chapters so the story would conclude where the TV show begins.**

* * *

Cyrus was right. The drink knocked out the Queen and she only woke up when her husband came back to their room.

"The Americans are gone. Finally." – he cried out, relieved.

Helena sat up in the bed and said:

"You should have woken me up."

"It was unnecessary." – the King replied, then he added with a charming smile. – "Besides, you are so beautiful in your sleep."

He climbed onto the bed and started kissing his wife, but she roughly pushed him off of her.

"Not now!" – she mumbled.

"What is it?" – Simon asked in surprise.

The Queen backed away to the window to keep her distance while her husband stood at the opposite side of the bed.

"I lost the baby." – Helena remarked flatly after a long pause.

The King looked at her in shock.

"What? When?"

Queen Helena couldn't stand her husband's gaze and she lowered her eyes.

"Yesterday. During the party." – she replied softly.

"It's not possible. I was there… with you…" – Simon mumbled in confusion. – "Why didn't you tell me?"

The Queen let out a scornful chuckle.

"The Americans were here, I didn't want to distract you." – she said, still avoiding the King's eyes.

"Distract me? You didn't give me a choice. You should have told me!" – King Simon cried out angrily.

"Why? What could you possibly do to make it better?" – Helena shouted back, then she lowered her voice. – "It was humiliating and painful and... I couldn't do anything. I didn't want you to see this… to see me like this."

Her husband was speechless. He wanted to rush to his wife and comfort her, but she made it clear that she didn't want his pity. He sank down on the edge of the bed and buried his face in his hands.

"It was a girl." – the Queen whispered quietly.

The King gave her a painful look.

"Alice…" – he mumbled with tears in his eyes.

His wife reaction, however, surprised him.

"No, Simon. _It_ wasn't Alice." – Helena snapped at him, not sure why she got suddenly so angry. – "She was… _It_ was smaller than my palm. _It_ was just a… a thing, not a human being… just a thing… not a baby and certainly not Alice."

"Okay." – answered King Simon softly.

The Queen nodded in relief.

"I asked for the children. We have to tell them." – she said after a moment.

"Do you want me to tell them?" – her husband asked quickly.

Helena couldn't hold back a sigh.

"No, I will."

* * *

Their parents' bedroom was usually a forbidden territory for the children. They could count on one hand how many times their mother let them in.

"Don't stop there, come here." – Helena cried in mock cheerfulness when she saw her children standing shyly in the doorway. Then she turned to her husband. – "Look at them! Are these really our children, who don't dare to enter a room?"

Robert knew immediately that something was wrong. His mother's fake smile and her overacted happiness didn't suggest so much good. Anyway, he stepped closer to the Queen and made the twins follow him.

"You won't have a little brother or sister. I'm sorry." – their mother announced the news objectively.

"But I want it!" – Eleanor cried out in protest.

Helena gave her a bitter smile.

"Sometimes things don't turn out the way you want them to." – she said in mock ease. – "It's time for you to learn that lesson, Eleanor."

The little girl frowned in confusion.

"Why are you punishing me? I didn't do anything wrong!" – she cried and tears appeared in her eyes.

Her daughter's pain reminded the Queen of her own grief and she needed a moment to collect herself.

"I know, darling. I don't punish you." – she remarked softly and hugged the sobbing Princess. – "I didn't want this to happen either, but it happened. We have to accept it."

They all remained quiet until Robert broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, Mom." – he said sadly.

"Me too." – her little brother mumbled.

Her mother looked at him with a cold stare.

"Don't be, Liam. You think that I'm a bad mother. You should be happy that I won't have another child." – she said scornfully.

"Helena!" – the King gently rebuked his wife.

The Queen looked at him in surprise and shrugged.

"I mean it." – she remarked with ease.

Robert looked from her mother to his father, then he asked carefully:

"Is there anything we can do?"

The Queen shook her head.

"No. You can all leave now." – she said and the conversation was over.

* * *

- _BBC NEWS AT NOON-_

JULIA: "Good afternoon! It's exactly twelve o'clock. The Palace has confirmed the sad news: Queen Helena suffered a miscarriage. Our reporter is at the gates of Buckingham Palace, where a huge crowd gathered to express their sympathy to the Royal Family. Hello, Matt!"

MATT: "Hello Julia! Yes, indeed, a lot of people came here today to show their support to the Queen and her family. Let's hear what they say."

JENNIFER: "I was so excited about the Royal Baby. I'm very disappointed right now. It's amazing that the Queen and the King are so much in love after fifteen years that they decided to have another baby. I feel sorry for them."

THERESA: "Queen Helena is such a wonderful person. I met her in a children's hospital three years ago when my son was sick. Her strength and support meant the world for my family. The Queen is always there for us, she is like a mother to the whole nation. I think that's why the people are here today: to show her that we are there for her too."

MATT: "It's hard to find the right words. Let's get back to the studio."

JULIA: "Thank you, Matt! In the wake of the sad news the Queen expressed in her statement that she would focus on the future and continue her charity campaign with the American First Lady for the sick children across the world. – In fact, Her Majesty is the most active member of the Royal Family, she carried out almost 300 engagements just this year. She stands for many good causes, but her work for the children is outstanding. Let's hope that she can find some comfort in helping them after this personal tragedy."

* * *

The next few days were awfully quiet in the Palace. The royal children hardly saw their parents and when they did, they didn't dare to speak in their presence. Finally, Helena couldn't bear their silence any longer.

"Let's talk about your birthday." – she suggested to the twins with forced cheerfulness in her voice.

She could see that Eleanor didn't like this topic.

"Will you be here this year?" – the little girl asked scornfully.

The Queen let out a resigned sigh.

"I missed your birthday _once._ " – she replied, offended. – "Besides, you said that your last birthday was the best in your life so stop bringing this up to me."

The Princess looked at her mother in guilt. Prince Liam, however, decided to seize the opportunity and asked:

"Can we have dodgems and petting zoo this year too?"

"Absolutely not. Your birthday party will be the same as any other year." – Queen Helena said coldly, then she added in a softer voice. – "But since it's your tenth birthday, you can think bigger regarding the gifts. So what would you like to get?"

Prince Liam cried out without hesitation.

"I want a yacht."

The Queen looked at her husband who shrugged his shoulder. Personally, he didn't like the idea of spoiling the children to make them forget about their loss, but he didn't want to go against his wife. Helena looked back at her son and nodded.

"Okay. Anything else?" – she asked.

"A shark." – Liam remarked in enthusiasm.

His mother frowned in surprise, but she didn't say no.

"We have to figure out where to keep it, but I think we can manage that." – she replied with ease, then she turned to her daughter. – "What about you, Eleanor?"

The little Princess knew exactly what she wanted and she wasn't afraid to share her wish with her parents:

"I want a baby sister."

"We talked about this, it's not going to happen." – Helena said with a sudden anger and the pretended happiness disappeared from her face.

"At least, not in the near future." – King Simon added quietly to ease the Queen's words.

His wife looked at him in surprise mixed with anger.

"No, it will _never_ going to happen." – she said firmly.

They all remained silent after the announcement. The children turned from one parent to the other in a growing despair. It was obvious that they didn't have time to discuss the matter, but the Queen has already made her decision. Finally, the King cleared his throat and said:

"Never say never." – he mumbled and let out an awkward chuckle.

"Well, this time I say it: never." – Helena remarked sharply and for a moment, she forgot about her children in the room. – "I did my duty, I don't owe you any more children."

King Simon gasped in shock.

"What are you talking about? You don't owe me…? Of course, you don't. I didn't mean it like that." – he cried out indignantly.

Helena quietly nodded.

"Good." – she said in a firm tone, then she turned to her daughter. – "So what else do you want, darling?"

Princess Eleanor was still under the influence of the ugly scene between her parents, but she quickly recovered from the shock.

"A horse." – she said with ease.

After all that happened, she didn't expect much resistance, but her father shook his head.

"Out of the question." – he shouted.

Blackmailing wasn't an unfamiliar method for Eleanor and she wasn't afraid to use it when she needed it.

"Then I want a sister." – she demanded peremptorily.

The King let out a painful sigh.

"It's not an either-or situation, Lenny." – he explained to his daughter in a sad voice.

Eleanor was prepared to lose this battle, but her mother's reaction surprised her.

"I think it is." – the Queen replied to her husband with ease. – "Your daughter is trying to say something to you, you just don't listen. She clearly needs more space… more freedom."

"Yes, clearly." – the young Princess remarked in an uncertain voice.

King Simon shook his head to protest:

"But a horse… it's dangerous and way too early."

"No, it's not. She is a big girl now, she can take care of herself. As for the danger, statistically speaking, getting in a car or an airplane is much more dangerous than riding a horse." – Helena said in a calm voice.

Her husband snorted in anger:

"You are talking about statistics when you know exactly what my problem is."

Queen Helena couldn't hold back a sad laughter.

"I know exactly what your problem is and I think it's shameful that you are reminding me of it right now." – she hissed angrily.

The King and the Queen glared at each other for a while until their daughter interrupted them.

"What exactly your problem is, Daddy?" – Eleanor asked curiously.

Simon didn't expect this question and he didn't know what to say.

"Nothing." – he mumbled. – "I will think about the horse and I will talk it through with your mother."

* * *

Princess Eleanor always got what she wanted so she was sure that she would get the horse as well. However, her parents did everything to mislead her. They blindfolded her and led her to the garden.

"Is it a horse?" – the Princess asked in excitement.

She could hear her mother's frustrated sigh.

"I'm sorry. I did everything I could. Your father was too stubborn." – the Queen remarked in mock sadness.

"But we hope that you will love your present anyway." – the King added happily.

Prince Robert took off the scarf from her face and said:

"All right. You can open your eyes."

"May I present to you Charlie Jones." – Queen Helena announced with a smile and led a gorgeous white horse to her daughter. – "Congratulations, you are his new owner, darling."

Eleanor rushed to her new gift and kissed and hugged him all over.

"Mom! He is beautiful. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" – she cried out happily and ran to her mother to hug her too.

"Can I ride him?" – she asked impatiently.

"Of course. He is yours. Just wait a second." – the Queen replied laughingly and put a helmet on her daughter's head. – "Here you are."

"Ouch! It's pulling my hair." – the Princess whined and tried to take it off. – "Do I really have to wear this?"

Helena looked around, then she bent down to Eleanor and whispered into her ears:

"Only until your father is watching you."

Liam and Robert were almost as excited about the new horse as Eleanor herself and they all wanted to feed him and ride him. Their parents watched them from a distance as they helped their sister up to the saddle and she rode away, swift as an arrow. It was quite an impressive sight.

Queen Helena tried to follow her with her eyes until she could see her. Then, she turned to her husband, only to see the terrified expression on his face.

"She is safe, you can relax." – she said to him reassuringly. – "A bullet couldn't go through that helmet… even if she falls, which she won't, she will be fine."

Simon smiled back at her, but he was still worried.

"She seems to enjoy herself very much." – he finally replied.

"Yes. I was right. She just needs some independence." – his wife remarked with satisfaction.

King Simon looked at his wife and he suddenly realized what this was all about.

"No, Helena, please." – he asked her.

The Queen shrugged her shoulders and said with ease:

"Boarding school will do wonders for her."

"I can imagine what kind of wonders." – the King mumbled in a sarcastic tone. – "She is too young. Nobody sends a ten-year-old girl to boarding school."

"Nonsense. If it was true, there would be no boarding schools for ten-year-old girls. But there _are_. You would be surprised how many, just in this country." – Helena remarked objectively.

The King looked her in the eye and almost begged her:

"Please, think about it before you decide."

His wife's cold gaze scared Simon, but her words even more:

"I have already decided."

King Simon nodded resignedly.

"What about Liam?" – he asked after a while.

The Queen's expression changed immediately and a worried look appeared in her eyes.

"He is different. He is so shy…" – she began, then she suddenly changed her mind. – "…but you are right. If he stays home, the people will think that we are playing favourites. I guess we have to find a suitable school for him too."

"You are about to make a big mistake and it will be very difficult to fix it." – Simon remarked sadly.

Queen Helena gave him a defiant look and let out a cruel smile:

"Maybe… but at least I can focus more on being the Queen."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

… _**Four years later…**_

Queen Helena watched from the window as the helicopter landed in the garden and two bodyguards escorted Princess Eleanor to the Palace.

"I hope you had a pleasant journey." – Helena greeted her daughter in a sarcastic tone.

Eleanor didn't answer, just rolled her eyes so her mother continued:

"You know the Swiss Police has better things to do than to chase a runaway Princess."

" _The_ runaway Princess. Just to be exact." – Eleanor corrected the Queen scornfully.

Helena let out a theatrical sigh.

"Why can't you keep out of trouble?"

The Princess shrugged her shoulders.

"You think that there is nothing you can't fix… so stop pretending that you care about me." – she mumbled.

The Queen looked at her in anger and cried out:

"I do care about you. Do you think I like to be woken up in the middle of the night that you are missing _again_?"

Her daughter threw herself into a chair and put a chewing gum into her mouth.

"What are you going to do, ban me from your big boring party and send me back to Lausanne?" – she asked and popped her gum.

Queen Helena shook her head in disappointment.

"No. You will stay and attend my big boring party and tomorrow you will go back to your school."

"Mom, it's not fair!" – Eleanor cried out in indignation and got up from the chair. – "Robert and Liam can come home from Eton every weekend."

"You had the same privileges, but you lost them." – Helena remarked coldly.

The Princess looked her mother in the eye and forgot about her pride:

"Please, let me stay here, just a little longer. I miss my family." – she asked softly.

The Queen replied without hesitation:

"You should have thought about it before you ran away from school."

"I hate you!" – Eleanor shouted and she was about to storm out of the room, but her mother stood in her way.

"Sober up before you meet your father. He would be very disappointed to see what became of his daughter." – Helena said to the Princess with contempt.

"I'm sure he is more disappointed in his wife." – Eleanor answered with a shrug and left the room.

* * *

"Eleanor is home." – King Simon said to his wife when she returned to their room to get dressed for the party.

"I know I have already talked to her." – Helena replied while she walked into her closet and picked up her gown.

The King frowned and looked at her with suspicion.

"What did you say?" – he asked with a little fear in his voice.

"I asked her nicely not to run away again." – the Queen remarked scornfully.

Simon didn't miss the irony in her voice and shook his head.

"It's no wonder that she runs away. It's a bloody military school." – he mumbled angrily.

"It's hardly a military school…" – Helena remarked with a bitter laugh. – "Anyway, I didn't have a choice. She couldn't behave in the last three schools."

King Simon did his best to hold back his anger and talk to his wife patiently:

"She just wants your attention."

The Queen sat at her dressing table and looked at her husband in the mirror.

"Well, she has my attention."

"You know what I mean." – the King replied and stepped closer to her.

Helena stood up from her chair and turned to him:

"I can't afford to pay attention to each and every one of her little tantrums. I have more important things to do. I am the Queen of England. And now I have a party to attend."

* * *

The Queen went to Prince Robert and Prince Liam's dressing room to make sure that they were ready for the party. Three maids helped them into their tuxedos and they were about to put on their necktie when Helena stopped them.

"I'll take it from here." – she said softly and the maids left the room with a bow.

"You should really learn how to do it." – the Queen remarked with a sigh and walked over to her sons. – "This is not the last time you have to wear a tie."

First, she tied Liam's tie, then she was about to do it for Robert too, but her hand stopped halfway in the air.

"What is it?" – her older son asked her in surprise.

His mother lowered her eyes and hesitated for a moment before she spoke.

"Nothing. I… I just imagined you on your wedding day." – she said with a sigh.

Prince Robert and Prince Liam looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Helena stood back and eyed them up and down from a distance.

"You are not little boys anymore." – she remarked with a sad smile.

Liam stared at his mother in shock. He wasn't used to her being so motherly and he was a bit embarrassed by it.

"You won't cry, will you?" – he asked in a sarcastic voice.

"No, I won't cry." – Helena answered in the same tone, then she added: – "Hurry up, I'll see you in the ballroom in ten minutes."

Prince Robert called after his mother as she walked away.

"Mom, I invited someone I would like you to meet."

"I hope it's a girl." – the Queen remarked hopefully.

Her son rolled his eyes as he replied:

"Yes, it's a girl, but please be nice and don't intimidate her."

Helena let out a soft chuckle.

"We'll see." – she said mysteriously.

* * *

Queen Helena looked around the ballroom like a watchful chaperon. Prince Robert was indeed with a rather exotic looking girl and they seemed to enjoy themselves. Fourteen-year-old Liam, however, like most boys in his age, was very shy. He stood alone in a corner, trying to stay unnoticed. The Queen walked around looking for her daughter, but she only found her friends instead. Gemma Kensington and two other girls were about to pour some scotch in their cola when Helena surprised them.

"I assume you are all under eighteen, which means that you have no business drinking alcohol." – the Queen began seriously, then she suddenly changed her tone. – "Although you can hardly be blamed if you mistook whisky for ice tea. They look so similar."

The girls looked at her speechlessly as she took three empty glasses and poured some whisky in them. She poured a drink for herself as well and raised her glass:

"Cheers, girls."

The Queen could see that Gemma didn't trust her.

"And you won't tell our parents because…" – the young girl began, waiting for Helena to finish her sentence.

"…because your mother would be very angry with me if she knew" – the Queen replied with ease before she turned to the other girls – "…and as for you two, I don't even know who your parents are."

The two other girls, Isabella and Victoria looked at her in admiration.

"You are so cool." – Isabella mumbled.

"I wish my mom would be like this. Eleanor is so lucky." – Victoria added longingly.

Gemma rolled her eyes at her minions and she decided to make them jealous by bragging about her insider status in the Palace.

"You should see her room. It is full of dresses… and jewelleries… and she has a waterbed." – she said proudly.

"It must be good to be a Princess." – Isabella whispered with a sigh.

Helena looked from one to the other, then she remarked:

"Being born into the Royal Family is not the only way to become one."

Gemma knew the Queen and she wasn't afraid to provoke her a bit.

"We can get married to a Prince. Robert is clearly a good catch." – she said with a defiant smile.

"Who is talking about marriage? You are so young." – Queen Helena cried out in mock astonishment. – "Besides, I'm afraid Robert prefers more mature girls. I just say that Liam might enjoy the company of some nice girls."

The smile disappeared for a moment from Gemma's face.

"Liam?" – she asked in shock.

"Yes, Liam." – repeated the Queen.

The three girls looked at each other.

"He seems kind of a wallflower…" – Victoria said in an uncertain voice.

"Then it's your job to open that flower. Maybe it is a long time, but who knows what the future holds? " – Helena replied with ease and downed her drink.

The others did the same and frowned when they felt the bitter taste in their mouth.

* * *

After she made sure that the girls would keep company for Liam for a while, Helena walked over to her other son.

"Mom, may I present you, Lady Damara Croft. Her mother is a Baroness from India and her father, Lord Croft is an Army Major." – Robert said in one breath.

"I know Major Croft. He has a well-deserved reputation as a soldier and he is a great storyteller. It's nice to meet her daughter."

"It is an honour to meet you, Your Majesty." – Damara answered with a deep bow.

The Queen eyed her up and down, then she said to her:

"Walk with me."

Robert watched his mother engaging in a conversation with Damara. He hoped that the girl would keep the Queen busy for while until he could talk to her assistant.

* * *

Rachel was looking around the ballroom to make sure that everything was all right and under control when she heard Prince Robert's voice behind her.

"You look beautiful tonight." – the young Prince complimented her.

The assistant gave him a dim smile and replied softly:

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Robert leaned on the wall and continued the conversation.

"How are you?"

"Good." – Rachel answered shortly, then she added in an indifferent tone. – "I saw your new girlfriend."

Prince Robert was a bit offended, but he didn't let this remark stop him.

"She is just a friend. I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend for Mom, just for tonight." – he said and shrugged his shoulder.

Rachel let out a scornful chuckle.

"Very mature. Your mother is not stupid, she will find out." – she said with ease.

"Eventually, but until then…" – Robert replied and put his arms around her.

The assistant roughly pushed him.

"Stop it!" – she hissed and backed away from him. – "At first it was funny, but now it's getting to be very annoying."

"I'm sorry." – the Prince mumbled and lowered his eyes.

Rachel looked at him with pity as she answered:

"It's okay. You had too much to drink."

They were silent for a moment, then Robert remarked, ashamed:

"Otherwise, I never would have had the courage to talk to you."

The assistant didn't know what to say, then she told him in a serious tone:

"You have to get over me and find a suitable girl before your mother will."

"I know." – Prince Robert agreed with a sad sigh, then he added with a charming smile. – "She has pretty good taste though. She chose you for her assistant."

Rachel shook her head disapprovingly.

"Good night, Your Highness!" – she said with a smile and turned her back to him.

"Good night, Rachel!" – Robert replied and looked after her as she left the room.

* * *

The Queen searched almost the whole Palace until she finally found her daughter in her room. At her surprise and disappointment, she didn't find her alone. Princess Eleanor was lying naked on her bed with her brother's best friend, Twysden Beckwith.

"What is going on here?" – Helena cried out when she saw them together.

"Mom, I can explain." – Eleanor mumbled and quickly grabbed a pillow to cover herself.

Her mother, however, didn't care about an explanation, she pushed the panic button on the wall without hesitation.

"You have ten seconds to get dressed before they come here and throw you out." – she said in a threatening tone, addressing her words to Beck.

The young Lord Beckwith quickly started to put on his clothes while the Princess burst out in tears:

"It was my fault, he didn't do anything wrong. Please, Mom, there is no need for this. Just let him go." – she begged her mother.

The Queen ignored her daughter's plea and stayed focused on the young lord in front of her.

"The poor girl you knocked up wasn't enough, Twysden?" – she asked scornfully. – "You needed my daughter for your trophy collection. Your mother will be heartbroken when she knows about this."

"We didn't even have sex. You can't tell his mother!" – Eleanor shouted in indignation.

Helena shrugged her shoulders.

"I won't, but the Palace is full of journalists." – she said with ease, then she added: – "I can't promise that they will stay quiet after they witness the guards throwing out Lord Beckwith's only son and heir from the Royal Palace."

"You are such a bitch!" – the Princess screamed and threw the pillow that covered her at her mother.

Queen Helena caught the pillow without looking at her daughter.

"I really believed that you are different from your father, Beck… but here we are." – she remarked in a sad voice.

"I'm nothing like my father." – Beck replied angrily and looked the Queen in the eye.

Helena didn't let herself intimidate by the young boy and continued in a provoking tone:

"Are you sure? Eleanor is only fourteen. The same age that the girl he tried to rape."

"God forbid the world finds out who that girl was." – Beck hissed scornfully.

Queen Helena gave him a disdainful smile as she repeated his last words:

"God forbid… Your family name could hardly bear any more shame."

The young Lord Beckwith didn't have time to answer because five armed bodyguards arrived and dragged him out of the room.

"You will regret this, Mom, I promise." – Eleanor shouted after she watched her mother's men take away Beck.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

After she took care of Beck and Eleanor, the Queen went back to the party to talk to her guests. She engaged in a long conversation with the Swedish ambassador and her husband when Rachel appeared out of nowhere behind her.

"I think you should come, Your Majesty." – she whispered discreetly into her ears and stepped back.

"Why?" – Helena asked, looking over her shoulder.

Her assistant looked hesitantly at the ambassador then turned back to the Queen and replied:

"It's Princess Eleanor. She had a…a rough night."

From what Rachel said, Queen Helena thought that Eleanor probably got too drunk and now she was suffering from the consequences, but nothing serious. She wasn't prepared for the scene that welcomed her in her daughter's room. She could hear the King's shouting long before she got there:

"Who was it? Who was it? I will kill that boy!" – King Simon asked, beside himself.

By the time Helena arrived, her whole family was there. Eleanor sat on her bed, visibly shaking and sobbing while her father and brothers gently rubbed her back in an awkward attempt to comfort her.

"What happened?" – the Queen asked in surprise.

"You happened." – Liam answered with anger mixed disgust in his voice. – "If you hadn't had Beck thrown out like a criminal, Eleanor wouldn't have lost her virginity to a total stranger."

Queen Helena was shocked for a moment, then she turned to her other son:

"Did you know about her and Beck too?"

"Yes, and I know that Beck would have never hurt her." – Robert replied and looked at his mother with real anger for the first time in his life.

"They wanted to have sex." – Helena mumbled in her defence.

Her son shook her head with contempt as he remarked:

"And now she had sex with a drunk asshole who could be anyone."

"Who was it?" – the Queen asked in a firm voice.

Robert didn't answer so she turned to her husband.

"Eleanor refuses to tell." – King Simon said shortly.

He didn't sound as angry as Robert, but it was clear to Helena that he also blamed her for what happened.

"I want to talk to her alone." – the Queen said after a moment of silence, looking at her still crying daughter.

She stepped closer to the bed, but Liam stopped her:

"She doesn't want to see you."

"This is ridiculous. She is right there. Let her decide!" – Helena cried out in indignation, then she turned to her other son: – "Robert, please!"

At her surprise, Prince Robert didn't take her side as usual. Instead, he got up from the bed and firmly led his mother out of the room.

"I think it's better if you stay away for a while. You really screwed this up, Mom!" – he said with a sad sigh.

* * *

It was a long night. The party was over and the guests were gone, but everyone was still awake. The Queen saw maids everywhere with empty trays or vacuum cleaners and the noise they were making made it impossible for anyone to sleep. Not that she could have slept after what happened. Simon probably stayed in Eleanor's room for the night because he showed no sign that he would return to their bedroom anytime soon. After a long walk in the garden, Helena finally found a quiet room where the maids have already finished. She poured a drink for herself and sank into a chair. She heard that her security detail closed the door and took his position outside the room.

The Queen poured herself another glass of whiskey and she suddenly realized that she didn't want to be alone. She decided to call for her bodyguard:

"Ralph?" – she asked in a tired voice.

Her security detail answered her call immediately:

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Please, sit down. Would you like a drink?" – the Queen asked, motioning towards the crystal decanter with the whiskey on the table.

The bodyguard shook his head as he said:

"I can't. I'm on duty."

"Me too, but who cares." – the Queen answered with a short laugh and poured a drink for him anyway.

They sat in silence for a while, drinking their scotch, lost in thoughts. After eight years of service, Helena barely knew her bodyguard. She didn't know what to say to him so she ended up asking about his family:

"Do you have children?"

"Two daughters." – came the answer.

The Queen nodded in acknowledgement, then she said:

"What would you do if you caught one of them with a naked boy in her room?"

Ralph, who witnessed the whole scene with the Princess and her boyfriend, hesitated for a while before he answered.

"Can I be honest with you?"

Helena looked at him with surprise, but she motioned him to continue.

"Please."

"Your Majesty went easy on them. If I caught a boy like that in my daughter's bedroom, I would punch him in the face and throw him out myself with my bare hands." – the bodyguard replied passionately.

The Queen seemed to be amused by this answer and gave a dim smile to her security detail, then she became serious again.

"Too bad my family doesn't think the same way." – she remarked with a sigh. – "They are blaming me because Eleanor ended up with that other boy."

Maybe it was the alcohol or the unexpected chance to speak to the Queen, but Ralph suddenly became very talkative.

"They are all wrong." – he remarked in a firm voice. – "Prince Robert and Prince Liam have always been very protective of their sister, but the King… well, he didn't do much in the past few years other than criticizing you."

"Careful, Ralph, this is treason." – Queen Helena replied in mock indignation.

Seeing the encouraging look in the Queen's eyes, Ralph shrugged his shoulders and answered in the same tone:

"I'm sorry. I thought you allowed me to speak honestly."

Helena decided to keep on with the pretended seriousness as she continued:

"I did… but your honesty insults the monarchy."

"No, it insults the King." – the bodyguard protested and got up from his chair.

"Isn't it the same thing?" – Queen Helena asked back and she also got up.

Ralph took a step closer and whispered into the Queen's ears:

"Is it? You tell me."

"It's hardly an appropriate attitude when you are protecting the King of England." – Helena remarked in a flirty voice.

The bodyguard let out a soft chuckle.

"Then, I'm glad that I'm protecting the _Queen_."

He was so close that Helena could feel his breathing on her skin.

"In that case… you could check my bedroom, see if there is any potential threat in there." – the Queen said seductively and grabbed her bodyguard's hand.

"As you wish, Your Majesty." – Ralph replied with a satisfied grin and he allowed the Queen to lead him through the secret passages, all the way to her bedroom.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

The next morning Queen Helena woke up with a heavy weight on top of her. The King didn't return to their bedroom yet so Helena had to realize that it was her bodyguard, who was still lying on her bed.

She pulled up her knee and gently kicked the sleeping man to wake him up.

"What?" – Ralph asked groggily and rolled off the Queen.

Helena quickly got up and put on a night robe.

Before she headed to the door, she leaned over her bodyguard and whispered to him:

"Last night was great. I forgot about all my troubles, thanks to you." - she pressed a quick kiss on his lips, then she added: - Anyway, your wife called twice. You'd better be hurry. You remember the way we got here…"

"Yeah, crystal clear." – Ralph mumbled. – "I could find my way back here any time."

The Queen let out a soft chuckle.

"That won't be necessary. It was a one-time thing."

"We'll see." – the bodyguard whispered confidently and Helena trembled for a moment at his words."

* * *

She went to the small courtyard to clear her head, but at her surprise she found her daughter there.

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were here." – she said and sat on the bench next to her. – "So how do you feel?"

Princess Eleanor let out a big sigh and looked at her mother.

"Stupid… Robert and Dad and Liam, they don't get this. How could they?" – she mumbled and tears started running down her face.

The Queen pulled her in an embrace and tried to wipe off the tears with her thumb. Eleanor couldn't hold it together anymore. Her whole body was shaken by sobs:

"It was all your fault… If you hadn't thrown out Beck… I just wanted to hurt you."

"It's all right, darling. It's all right." – Helena whispered like a mantra, then she added: – "If it's any consolation, it worked. You did hurt me."

The Princess pulled away from her and gave her a scornful smile:

"It didn't worth it. I feel like a whore."

Her mother didn't know what to say to ease her daughter's guilt.

"You are not a whore." – she remarked quietly after a little while.

"That's it? That's all you can say?" – Eleanor cried out in shock mixed with anger.

"What do you want me to say?" – the Queen asked with a surprised look, then she continued mockingly: – 'Don't worry, my first time was a disaster too, I felt like an idiot after it happened…?!'"

"Yes!" – the Princess shouted because that was exactly what she needed from her mother right now.

Queen Helena looked down to avoid her daughter's gaze and remained silent for a while. Her voice was soft when she finally spoke, but she wasn't as calm as she seemed. She felt the anger boiling up in her with every word:

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that. I wasn't reckless or unpredictable, I didn't rebel, I didn't dare to defy my parents… and I certainly did not do something so stupid just to punish them!" – she finished by shouting.

"Right, because you are always so fucking perfect!" – her daughter shouted back.

The Queen shook her head to protest.

"I didn't say that, Eleanor." – she sighed and forced herself to calm down. – "Look, it didn't happen the way it should have, but you are a woman now. You made a decision and you have to live with it. That is a part of growing up."

"Then, I don't want to grow up." – Eleanor mumbled.

Helena kissed her on the cheek and gave her a bitter smile.

"I wish you wouldn't have to. Maybe that way I wouldn't have to grow old either. It's a win-win."

"It really is." – the Princess agreed, then she suddenly looked up at her mother and asked: – "Mom, why can't you always be like this?"

The Queen frowned and asked back in confusion:

"Like what?"

Eleanor hesitated before she said out loud what she thought:

"Nice."

Her mother couldn't hold back a genuine laugh.

"You don't always make it so easy." – she remarked.

They both remained quiet for a while, then the Princess broke the silence.

"Are you disappointed in me?"

Helena shook her head and gave out a little sigh:

"No, I'm disappointed in myself because I couldn't prevent this from happening." – she said objectively, then she quickly changed the subject. – "Of course you don't have to go back to your school, you can stay here until you need."

Princess Eleanor smiled at her because she was glad that her mother finally wanted her to stay, but she has already made her decision.

"Thanks, but I think that Switzerland is the perfect place for me right now." – she replied with ease and stood up. – "In fact, I should pack my bags before my ride arrives. You wouldn't mind if Beck accompanied me on the way, would you?"

The Queen was about to protest and forbid her daughter to see him again, but she realized that she wasn't in a position to do so.

"I… No, of course I wouldn't. I hope you will enjoy yourself." – she answered with a fake smile and let her daughter go.

* * *

"How could you send Eleanor back to school after what just happened?" – King Simon shouted at his wife when he finally found her in one of the living rooms.

Helena looked up from the novel she was reading and replied in a calm tone:

"I didn't send her. She wanted to go back."

The King wasn't convinced and he couldn't keep his temper.

"Do you expect me to believe this?" – he hissed angrily.

The Queen let out a frustrated sigh and put down the book.

"It is the truth, but you are free to believe whatever you want."

"If you hadn't treated Beck the way you did… if you hadn't humiliated him in front of the whole Palace…" – Simon mumbled, but his wife interrupted him.

"Yes, it was all my fault, I know." – Helena remarked scornfully, then she added in a serious voice. – "But honestly, Simon, what would you have done in my place?"

She waited for her husband's answer, but he only shrugged his shoulder and remained silent.

"I thought so." – the Queen said softly and looked at the King with contempt. – "You know I'm not the monster you think I am, so instead of blaming me, you could focus on finding that boy, who did this to our daughter."

King Simon gave her a blank look as he answered:

"How? She refused to tell me who it was."

"Then find out." – Helena snapped at her and stepped closer to him. – "Think of your friends… Which one of their spoiled offsprings couldn't resist the possibility to seduce _the_ Princess?"

"I don't know." – the King admitted it with a sigh.

He looked out the window and saw the black car leaving the Palace grounds with Eleanor. The Queen walked over to him and followed his gaze.

"Well, ask them. Threaten them if you have to, do everything that is necessary to get them to tell the truth." – she suggested as it was the most natural thing.

Simon cried out in indignation:

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can't… You will let him get away with it." – Helena answered scornfully. – "What kind of King are you who can't even protect his own daughter?"

"I… I can't just…" – Simon stuttered, but he couldn't finish.

The Queen put her hand on his shoulder and gently rubbed his back while she remarked in a sad voice:

"See? I can point fingers too, if I want."

King Simon nodded in agreement.

"You are right."

"No, I'm not. What happened, it's none of us's fault." – Queen Helena protested and looked her husband in the eye. – "Eleanor made a mistake, but she wanted this. There was nothing we could do."

"If you say so." – the King mumbled, but his wife could see that she didn't convince him.

She decided to change the subject and attempt to make peace with her husband:

"Yes, I say so. Listen, I don't want to argue. Liam and Robert won't come home next weekend because of the sports day in Eton and Eleanor will probably stay in Lausanne as well so it will be just us for a while. It would be nice if we could get along or at least stay out of each other's way."

Simon looked at her and quietly nodded, then he turned back to the window and looked out again, lost in thoughts.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

 **A.N. We are very close to the end now. Probably two more chapters besides this one. I hope you enjoyed so far and will enjoy the rest. :)**

* * *

Without the children, the King and the Queen had no reason to stay in the same room. That is why Helena was a bit taken aback when her husband asked her at the dinner table:

"Will you come to bed soon?"

She didn't need more to know what he meant and she reluctantly nodded. A few minutes later, they were in their bedroom.

Helena quickly took off her clothes and lay on the bed next to the King. She was completely naked except for her jewellery because she knew that her husband liked it that way. She climbed on top of him and began kissing him when he suddenly spoke:

"How was your day?"

"Who cares? Let's get over with this." – the Queen replied, visibly annoyed.

"Someone is in the mood…" – her husband remarked scornfully.

Helena hesitated, then she said:

"I'm sorry. I'd just rather skip the small talk."

She quietly continued what she started without any particular interest until Simon talked to her again:

I heard you fired your bodyguard… Ralph, is it? Why?

The Queen reluctantly climbed off him.

"He behaved inappropriately." – she replied objectively.

Her husband frowned and asked another question with a hint of suspicion in his voice:

"For how long did you have him as your security detail?"

"I don't know. 7-8 years." – Helena said in a bored voice.

"And he never tried to… approach you before." – the King remarked uneasily.

His wife didn't answer so he continued:

"Why now? I mean, if he didn't get any encouragement…"

Helena leaned on her elbow so she could look her husband in the eyes.

"I didn't encourage him, but if you want to accuse me of something, please, just say it."

She didn't really leave time for her husband to answer before she added with disdain:

"You know you have every reason to be jealous. The way you treat me… and that you and the twins always 'gang up on me', no matter what I'm doing."

"That's not true." – King Simon protested weakly.

"Yes, it is, but here is the thing, Simon: you can't keep me and drive me away at the same time." – the Queen answered with a hint of sadness in her voice, then she turned away from her husband and switched off the light.

* * *

A few hours later Queen Helena was woken up by her husband's groaning.

"I can't breathe… Helena, I can't…" – he mumbled.

The Queen thought that her husband just continued their earlier dispute and she replied half asleep:

"That is marriage, darling."

"No, I really can't." – the King said, gasping for air and grabbed his wife's arm.

Helena finally woke up and realized what was happening.

"What do you feel?" – she asked and turned on the light so she could see him.

"It hurts and there is a pressure here…" – Simon moaned and pressed his hand on his chest.

The Queen was sure that her husband had a heart attack, but she couldn't tell him that without further upsetting him.

"Just relax, it's probably nothing. Try to breathe normally, all right?" – she said in a soothing voice and grabbed the King's hand. – "It will pass, darling, it will pass very soon."

She got out of bed and searched for the aspirin on her nightstand.

"What is this?" – her husband asked suspiciously when she tried to give him the pill.

"Just aspirin." – Helena replied and finally she managed to put it in his mouth. – "Chew it, don't swallow."

King Simon frowned as soon as he felt the taste of medicine.

"Bitter." – he mumbled.

Queen Helena gave him a dim smile as she remarked:

"You are not as sick as you think if you can whine about the aspirin's taste."

She tried to use that her husband was distracted and quickly texted to Rachel to call the ambulance. Her assistant texted back immediately, reassuring her that she would take care of everything.

Helena let out a relieved sigh, but her husband noticed the phone in her hand and it made him paranoid:

"Are you calling the children?" – he asked nervously.

"No! Why would I call them? I just… I wanted to know what time it was." – the Queen lied, but it didn't convince the King.

"I feel like I'm going to die." – he said weakly and winced in pain.

"Stop being melodramatic, Simon, it is not fit for a King. Everything is going to be all right." – Helena remarked in a firm voice, trying to convince not just her husband, but herself as well.

* * *

The waiting in the hospital seemed like an eternity. Queen Helena paced the corridor like a caged lioness until a doctor finally came out of the operating room.

"Good morning, Your Majesty! I'm sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Dr. Patel. I performed the surgery on King Simon." – he greeted the Queen with a reassuring smile.

"How is he?" – Helena asked impatiently.

The doctor looked around and lowered his voice:

"Would you mind talking in my office?"

The Queen quietly nodded and followed him into a small room. The doctor waited until she sat down before he began to talk:

"The operation went well and we managed to stabilize His Majesty's condition. We have every hope for a full recovery." – he said in a calming voice.

Helena knew this tone too well, her father's doctors used it often when they were about to tell her bad news. She didn't want to hear the rest, but there was no other way around. She let out a sigh and asked:

"But?"

Dr. Patel shyly nodded and replied:

"But the next 24 hours is crucial. Despite the successful surgery, there is a high risk of development of blood clots, which can be fatal in his current state."

The Queen tried to process the information and she was surprised when she heard her own firm voice instead of the doctor's, stating the facts:

"Which means that he can die."

At least, he didn't try to make the situation look better as he remarked in a soft voice:

"Which means that you have to be prepared for this possibility."

"He is the King of England. You must keep him alive." – Queen Helena snapped at him.

The doctor wasn't scared of her as people usually were and Helena felt that he could see through her.

"We will do everything we can, Your Majesty." – he said reassuringly. – "I know it's hard to process, but if I can help you in any way… I can give you something for the anxiety."

The Queen looked at him with a sudden anger.

"No, I'm all right. I would appreciate if you focused on my husband."

* * *

By the time Helena came out of Dr. Patel's office, Rachel was already waiting for her.

"Are you all right, Your Majesty? You look pale." – she remarked in a worried voice.

"Neon lights don't agree with me, that's all." – Helena quickly replied.

Her assistant nodded and cut to the chase:

"The Daily Mail called."

"How much do they know?" – the Queen asked, annoyed, but she didn't get an answer. – "Find out and deny everything. The press can know nothing about this. They can't know what happened to the King."

"All right." – Rachel replied and Helena thought that the conversation was over. However, her assistant had not finished yet:

"There is one sensitive matter. If His Majesty's condition becomes more… permanent, we will need a Regent until Prince Robert comes of age."

The Queen didn't wait the end of the sentence before she cried out in indignation:

"It's not the time nor the place to talk about this. Besides, the King is perfectly fine. He just needs some rest."

"It can take weeks." – Rachel protested. – "If he doesn't choose a Regent, the PM and the Cabinet will. And knowing Prince Cyrus…"

"He would do everything to get the regency." – Helena finished her thought.

"I know it's difficult for you, but you have to make the King pick you as Regent. For Prince Robert's sake." – the assistant saw the Queen's hesitation and continued. – "I have already prepared the document, His Majesty just needs to sign it."

Helena took the papers from her assistant and entered her husband's hospital room.

* * *

The Queen was trying to calm down her daughter with some reassuring lies over the phone so she didn't notice immediately when King Simon woke up.

"How are you feeling?" – she asked softly.

"Better. Thank you for making me believe that I didn't have a heart attack. That helped a lot." – he remarked with a dim smile.

The Queen returned the smile and said:

"You're welcome. Is there anything I can get you? Would you like some water? Do you need painkillers?"

"No, I'm good." – Simon answered, a little surprised by his wife's unusual kindness.

Helena decided to ignore the puzzled expression on her husband's face and continued:

"Great. I'm glad that you are feeling better."

They were quiet for a while, then the King asked:

"Are the children coming here?"

His wife shook her head.

"No, I didn't tell them. There is no need to unnecessarily worry them." – she remarked in mock ease.

"I see." – Simon mumbled.

Helena couldn't take his gaze and she burst out:

"What? What is it, Simon?"

Her husband shrugged and hesitated before he answered:

"Nothing. It's just… I had a heart attack and you don't think it important enough to tell the kids. You are also unusually nice to me." – he summed up his observations and suddenly he realized: – "Oh my... They told you that I would die. Am I right?"

"No, of course not." – the Queen cried out in indignation. – "First of all, it really hurts me that you think that I would only be nice to you if you were dying and second, don't even think about leaving me alone with three teenagers and a country to rule."

The King couldn't hold back a chuckle that soon turned into a painful grimace.

"I wonder which one would be bigger challenge for you." – he remarked teasingly.

"You know which one." – Helena replied in the same tone.

The moment was quickly over when Simon's voice became suddenly serious.

"You wouldn't miss me for long. We both know that there would be someone to take my place very soon."

Queen Helena felt that her heart beat faster and she swallowed hard. For a moment she believed that it was all over: Simon knew about Allistair. And yet, she felt a strange wave of relief. Then, her common sense was proven stronger.

"Yes. Robert. He would become King then." – she managed to sound casual and confident. – "Speaking of Robert. You will need a Regent until you are in hospital and Robert is still a minor. He can't rule in your place alone."

A shadow crossed King Simon's face as he believed to understand his wife's real intentions.

"You want to be Queen Regent. That's what this is all about." – he said scornfully.

"I'm only thinking of Robert." – the Queen hissed angrily, disappointed in her husband who thought so little of her. – "At least I have our children's best interest in mind. I can't say the same about your brother."

The King didn't want to argue. It was always easier to give his wife what she wanted. He let out a sigh and said:

"You are right. Where do I have to sign?"

* * *

Just minutes after the Queen left the room, the King's circulation collapsed. The doctors rushed in and managed to stabilize him, but he was still not out of the danger. Queen Helena couldn't wait and sit there for another six hours so she decided to visit the children's ward.

The little ones' faces immediately lit up and they all stared at her in awe.

"Is that really you, Queen Helena?" – a little blond girl finally asked her.

Helena smiled and leaned down to her:

"Yes, I am. Who are you?"

"Sadie." – the little girl replied proudly.

"It's nice to meet you, Sadie." – the Queen remarked, then she asked her. – "What were you doing before I interrupted you?"

Sadie took the Queen's hand and led her to a huge paper sheet on the floor covered with children's paintings.

"It's very nice. What is this about?" – Helena asked as she looked at the various artworks.

"It is about our dreams. It's about what we will do when we are healthy and we don't have to be in the hospital anymore." – Sadie replied heatedly. – "Do you want to see mine?"

The Queen gave Sadie a smile and said:

"By all means."

Helena knew that Sadie would keep her all for herself if it was up to her, but it would have been unfair to the others. She spotted a little boy alone in the corner and she made her way to him.

"Don't you want to paint something?" – she asked nicely.

"I can't paint." – came the sulky response.

The Queen let out a soft laugh and caressed the boy's shoulder.

"Me neither. And do you know what else I can't do?" – she asked in a low voice.

Martin, because that was the young boy's name, looked up to her curiously.

Helena whispered into his ears:

"Sing."

"You can't sing?! Every mom can sing." – Martin cried out in shock.

"Sssh! I don't want everybody to know." – the Queen remarked with a wink.

The boy frowned and asked after a moment of hesitation:

"What do you do at Christmas?"

"I'm just faking it." – Queen Helena replied honestly and she had an idea. – "You don't have to paint either."

She took Martin's index finger, dipped it in the paint and said:

"You just press your finger onto the paper. Great! Now you do it again and again… and there you go. You painted a flower. Do you like it?"

Martin looked at his painting, then he turned to the Queen with a grin and he nodded.

* * *

Finally the critical 24 hours passed and the Queen sat back to her husband's bedside with a relieved sigh.

"You've stayed." – King Simon remarked with surprise when he opened his eyes and saw her.

"Of course I've stayed." – Helena replied primly.

An awkward silence fell on the room. The only sound was the Queen's compact as she snapped it open to adjust her makeup. The King quietly looked at her, then he said:

"I'm sorry for what I've said earlier. I know that you just wanted to take care of the children."

Helena didn't look back at him. She stared in the small mirror while she lined her eyes with a black eyeliner.

"Well, it was a long day. I'll have to deal with the press and take a shower…" – she finally said as she took out her lip gloss and applied it. – "I think I should go."

Simon nodded and gently rubbed her arm.

"Okay. Thanks for being here."

His wife gave him a smile and said:

"I will call the children as soon as I get home so they can come to visit you tomorrow."

The Queen got up and she was about to leave when her husband's voice stopped her:

"Helena, just one more thing. The doctor… Did he tell you that I could die?"

"Mmm… He may have mentioned something, but I didn't take it too seriously." – the Queen replied with ease.

The King couldn't read from her expression, whether it was the truth or a joke so he just shook his head in disbelief:

"You are a remarkable woman." – he mumbled, more to himself than to his wife.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven

 **A.N. So this is the first part of the final chapter, the second part will come next week.**

 **JulietLovesStories, you disappeared a bit, I hope you'll return for the finale because it will be a kind of symbolic ending as you predicted earlier.**

* * *

… _ **Five years later…**_

Queen Helena was looking through the newspapers which, without exception, ran her daughter's last night outing on the front page. She just started to think how to kill this story when she heard Eleanor's voice from the door.

"Mom?"

Instead of an answer, Helena read aloud the headlines in front of her:

"Eleanorgy… Flash Dance… Royal Beaver…" – she said with pure disgust in her voice. – "My daughter, the Princess, behaving like a common whore. But go on, amuse me. Explain this latest disgrace, but please, Eleanor, make it original this time."

She expected some sassy back talk, but instead of that her daughter's voice was shaking as she said:

"Robert's dead, Mom."

* * *

An hour later the royal couple was sitting in Ted Pryce's office in the basement, waiting for an online meeting with a military commander to discuss Prince Robert's death. The King got called away for a phone call from the PM so the Queen was left alone with their head of security.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Your Majesty." – Ted Pryce remarked after an awkward silence.

"Are you? I don't think so." – Queen Helena replied scornfully.

The bodyguard looked away, visibly offended, but he didn't give up.

"I can understand you, maybe more than anyone right now. After my wife died…" – he began, but the Queen interrupted him.

"Please, spare me the details, Pryce. I remember all too well your wife's death. Tell me: does my son deserve a lifetime of tears as well? Like your wife?" – she asked with a mocking laugh.

"Your Majesty has an excellent memory." – Ted hissed angrily.

Helena shrugged and let out a sigh before she answered:

"Full of useless information as you can see."

They remained quiet for a while, then the bodyguard suddenly remarked:

"It's always the innocents who have to pay the price of our sins. My wife, your son… They deserve all of our tears."

The Queen looked at him with surprise, then she replied with a sudden anger in her voice:

"Well, they won't get mine. Robert would never ask for it anyway. I'm not you, Pryce… and hell, I'm not the King either. I have two more children and a country who needs me." – Helena stopped for a moment, then she added with a surprising honesty: – "Being the Queen and being good at it: this is how I atone for my sins. _A_ _lifetime of tears_ … what a waste of time."

She paused when she saw her husband enter the room. King Simon sat next to her while Ted Pryce connected them online to General Wilkinson, the former commander of Prince Robert.

"Please accept my sincere condolences, Your Majesties." – General Wilkinson began with a sigh. – "His Highness was a brave young man who served his country with honour and compassion. His sudden death surprised us all and it's not easy to talk about it."

Queen Helena looked at her husband for a moment, then she turned her gaze back to the screen:

"I'm sure it's easier for you to talk about it than for us to hear it, General."

The commander understood the hint and gave them a short nod:

"According to the reports, His Highness's aircraft took off at six o'clock precisely this morning. Twenty-seven minutes later it disappeared from the radar and we lost contact with him. We have a strong reason to believe that the plane crashed right after that. Our thorough investigation, however, excluded murder and accident. After checking the facts and examining the evidence, we came to the conclusion that Prince Robert committed suicide."

"How convenient! I should have known." – Helena cried out angrily.

The King looked at her with pity and gently rubbed her hand.

"He killed himself. No one could have known." – he mumbled.

The Queen jerked her hand away and remarked scornfully:

"I should have known that the army would try to cover it up. It wasn't a suicide." – her voice was harsh as she turned to her husband. – "Don't believe a word they say, Simon. The death of the Crown Prince… that's how wars begin."

"I can assure you, Your Majesty…" – General Wilkinson said, but he was interrupted by the Queen.

"I understand your position, General, it's a very sensitive matter. However, I have the right to know what happened to my son. Where is his body? Have you found it yet?" – she asked impatiently.

King Simon cried out to warn his wife:

"Helena!"

They all looked at him for a moment, then the general cleared his throat to answer:

"Not yet, Ma'am, but we are doing our best to locate him."

He could see that his words didn't satisfy the Queen.

"What about the black box of the plane? I want to see every data from it and all of your reports." – Helena demanded in a firm voice.

The commander lowered his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but these files are classified. You don't have the authority to see them."

The Queen was prepared for this answer and she decided to strike a different tone:

"The Crown and the Army always had a good relationship. It would be a shame if it was to change now…" – she began in mock innocence, then she added in a threatening voice. – "What would you say if I went to the British people and tell them that the Army wants to cover up the death of their beloved Prince? It might actually start a war."

"In that case we would have to consider you a security risk, Ma'am." – came the straight and not less threatening answer from General Wilkinson.

Helena's eyes widened in shock and anger after hearing that insult and she couldn't control her emotions anymore:

"Really? Was my son a security risk too? Was he?" – she shouted.

Almost at the same time Ted Pryce also felt the need to remind the commander who he was talking to.

"I have to warn you, General: threatening the Queen of England is treason." – he remarked in a firm voice.

The tension in the small room was palpable. Finally, King Simon broke the uncomfortable silence:

"I think we should all calm down. General, thank you for your information, I'm sure you told us everything you were allowed to tell." – he began softly and let out a short sigh. – "Please, forgive my wife. She is understandably upset, but I promise you that this conversation won't leave this room."

The Queen silently stood beside her husband, her expression revealed nothing. However, as soon as they said goodbye to the General and the computer screen went black again, she burst out of the room.

* * *

"Helena, please, wait!" – King Simon called after his wife.

The Queen turned around and finally let her rage unleash:

"Forgive my wife, she is understandably upset?! What the hell was that?" – she shouted.

"It's called diplomacy. These people don't joke, I just wanted to protect you." – the King replied defensively.

His words didn't have much effect on Helena, who continued with the same intensity:

"You don't get to talk in my name. But you were right in one thing. No matter what we believe, we can't tell this to anyone. Ever."

Simon frowned and asked cautiously:

"What about the children?"

"Especially the children." – the Queen replied firmly. – "It was a military accident."

The King nodded in agreement.

"Do you really think that?" – he asked after a short pause.

His wife looked at him like he was a fool. She even sounded offended as she answered:

"Yes, of course."

King Simon knew that his questions might upset the Queen, but he needed to know:

"How can you be so sure?"

Helena looked him in the eyes and remarked in a soft voice:

"Because I know… _knew_ our son. I talked to him just yesterday."

She got lost in her thoughts as she remembered her last conversation with Robert.

" _I'm sorry that I didn't call sooner." – he apologized._

" _It's all right, I was busy anyway." – the Queen replied, though it wasn't entirely true._

 _She didn't manage to fool her son either who remarked teasingly:_

" _Really? Just because you picked up on first ring."_

 _Helena couldn't hold back a laugh. They were silent for a moment, then Prince Robert asked:_

" _So how are you? Are you and Dad still in Sandringham?"_

 _The Queen shook her head._

" _No, we are both back home now."_

 _Robert felt the hidden tension in his mother's voice._

" _How do you get along?" – he asked cautiously._

" _The same." – Helena said with a sigh. – "We had an argument about Eleanor. I don't appreciate that she quit university, but you know your father. He always defends her no matter what she does."_

 _The young Prince let out a small smile because the situation was too familiar for him._

" _Be patient, she just needs some time to figure out what she wants. Lenny is a smart girl, you know that." – he tried to convince his mother._

 _He knew from the silence on the other end of the line that he succeeded. Helena's voice was more softened as she spoke again:_

" _I know, but partying in Paris will hardly help her find the answers."_

" _I will talk to her. She promised to call me tonight." – Robert remarked._

 _The Queen snorted derisively and said:_

" _Don't hold your breath, I'm waiting for her call for three days. In this regard, your brother is no better. At least he stays on the campus to get drunk. Never mind. Let's talk about you instead."_

" _I'm fine. I took our new aircraft for a test run." – Robert answered objectively, but his voice became more and more enthusiastic as he continued. – "It was amazing. The rivers, the woods, the mountains from above… I know you don't like flying, but you should have seen this."_

 _Helena couldn't stop smiling as she listened to her son._

" _I'm glad that you enjoy yourself so much, darling. It's good to hear that you are happy." – she said, then she added playfully: – "Although I would prefer if you were flying above the Buckingham Palace already."_

 _Prince Robert let out a short chuckle._

" _I miss you too, Mom. I'll be home by the weekend and… I may have a surprise for you."_

" _I don't like surprises." – Helena remarked with a sudden uneasiness in her voice._

" _Relax. You will love this one. It includes me and a certain lady…" – Robert replied with a grin._

 _His mother frowned as she couldn't hide her surprise._

" _Is that so?"_

" _Okay, don't get too excited. We had only one date so far after she visited the base with her family. They donated some money because she has two brothers in the Army, twin brothers actually" – Robert blurted, then he continued without thinking. – "Imagine what would happen if we got married… pretty big chance of having twins! Anyway, she seems really nice."_

Queen Helena never heard her son talking like this. She was still smiling when her husband's voice dragged her back to the reality:

"What did he tell?"

"What?" – Helena asked back in confusion.

The King repeated his question:

"Robert. What did he tell you?"

"Nothing important…" – the Queen replied with a sad smile. – "…but he was happy."


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight

 **A.N.: This is the end. I really enjoyed writing this story, I hope you did too.** **Million thanks for Luna967, mac-reye, JulietLovesStories and everyone else who reviewed, followed or just read my story.**

* * *

"The coffin has arrived." – a servant announced respectfully and disappeared behind the door.

Helena was against the idea of burying an empty coffin until the last minute, but the Army and the Secret Service didn't find Prince Robert's body and they were running out of time. The public pressure was too much. The people needed a closure and _who was the Queen to deny it from them?_

The King and the Queen sat in silence opposite the British flag-draped coffin. Helena finally gathered her strength to stand up and walked over to it. Her husband followed her with his gaze, then he stepped behind her. She leaned against his chest and let him put his arms around her. She was finally able to surrender herself to the grief and she felt the tears running down her face. It lasted only for a few seconds until a footman came in and disrupted the intimate moment.

The Queen pulled away from her husband and quickly wiped off her tears.

"Helena, don't go. When a mother loses her first-born son, I believe she's allowed to grieve." – she heard the King's voice behind her.

"Not when she's the Queen." – Helena replied without hesitation.

As she was walking out of the throne room, her heels clicking on the marble floor, she felt her husband just as much of a stranger than at the beginning of their life together.

* * *

 _\- 25 years ago -_

 _Helena was sitting on her bed, preparing herself to the meeting with the Prince of Wales. Her father's knock on the door dragged her out of her thoughts._

" _Come on, Nellie. Prince Simon is here, don't let him wait for you." – he said as he entered the room. – "What is that?"_

 _Helena just realized that she was still clutching the little white pebble that Alistair gave her as an engagement ring._

" _Nothing." – she replied quickly and put it on her nightstand._

 _Her father picked it up and turned it toward the light._

" _I hope it brings us luck." – he said cheerfully._

" _Dad! How many times did I tell you not to touch my stuff? – Helena screamed and snatched the pebble out of his hand._

" _All right, all right." – her father said laughingly, then he added with a sad sigh. – "I wish you could stay and tell me that every day."_

 _Sir Christopher took a look around his daughter's room which was a typical girl's room, with pink wallpaper and full of horse posters. Even the possibility of marriage seemed so unreal at that moment._

 _Helena followed his gaze and remarked softly:_

" _Then don't make me do this."_

 _Her father shook his head as he said to her:_

" _I have no other choice. You are saving the farm… our farm, Nellie. Never forget that. Besides, you know your mother. Even if I found a way out without your help…"_

"… _she would never let the Prince of Wales off her hook now that he is a bachelor again." – Helena finished his thoughts._

 _She let out a resigned sigh. She looked herself in the mirror one last time and she ran downstairs._

* * *

 _Her long white dress with pink roses floated around her as she entered the room and Prince Simon gently kissed her hand._

" _Shall we go to the garden?" – Helena asked the Prince with a polite smile. – "If I recall correctly, you have only been in our ballroom so far and it is not much to see there."_

 _Helena saw that her mother was furious and she looked helplessly at her husband. Sir Christoper, for once, took his wife's side._

" _Don't take the Prince outside, Nellie. Everything is covered in mud because of the morning rain." – he said softly to his daughter._

" _Silly girl… what did you think?" – Lady Alexandra mumbled angrily, then she turned to Prince Simon: – "Please, let me show the way to the parlour, Your Highness."_

 _Simon looked at her hesitantly, then he turned to Helena, who retreated into a corner, scratching the wall with her fingernail._

" _Actually, I would love to see the farm if Lady Helena could kindly show me around." – he finally said._

 _Helena couldn't hold back a genuine smile when she saw the expression on her mother's face who had no choice but to obey the royal order._

* * *

" _So… you don't like my mother." – Helena remarked, visibly relieved once they were outside, alone._

" _I am here to see you, not her." – Prince Simon answered shortly and gave her a knowing wink._

 _Sir Christopher was right. The ground was really muddy and Helena's high heels sank deeper into the mud with each step. Without realizing what she was doing, she instinctively pulled off her shoes and carried them in her hands. However, the Prince's shocked expression told her that she had made a mistake._

" _I'm sorry. You must think that I'm some kind of a gypsy." – Helena stammered in shame._

" _Not at all. Should I take mine off as well?" – Simon asked with an amused smile._

 _Helena returned the smile and said:_

" _It depends… do you worry more about getting your shoes or getting your feet dirty?"_

 _The Prince nodded slowly as if he carefully contemplated the answer:_

" _It sounds very reasonable. In that case, I choose to keep the shoes on."_

 _They silently walked across the grass and headed straight to a hedge maze which was a present from Helena's father for her tenth birthday. The young girl led the way with confident steps between the hedge walls and the Prince quietly followed her._

 _A prancing horse statue in the middle of the labyrinth caught Simon's eyes. Helena didn't have to think much to know what was going through his mind and she felt awful._

" _I'm sorry for your loss. I feel terrible that her accident happened on our estate." – she remarked quietly._

" _Did you know her…" – started Simon, then he forced himself to say her name. – "…Did you know Dominique well?"_

 _Helena shook her head._

" _I met her a few times, she seemed… I would rather say honest, than kind, but she was always nice to me."_

" _You are right, she was honest. Sometimes probably too honest." – agreed the Prince. – "It's not a good quality for a princess or a queen… at least that's what my mother says. Maybe it's true. Maybe the people wouldn't have loved her as much as I did. The people would like a princess who is kind. You are kind."_

" _Thank you." – Helena replied in an uncertain voice._

 _Simon continued._

" _And patient because you generously tolerate my long monologues. I believe that the people would like you as their princess and one day as their queen. Assuming that you want this too… Do you want this?"_

 _Helena felt that they came to the part of the conversation when she should select her words carefully._

" _I might be young, but I know a thing or two about life." – she began with mock confidence. – "I know how people feel right now because I can feel it too. A sense of hopelessness… that there is no way out of the woods. A royal wedding will definitely change that, it will boost the public's moral. That's why it is so important… but you know that. I just want to help the people."_

 _Prince Simon didn't like the young girl's emotionless, calculating tone so he felt he had to ask:_

" _Why?"_

 _Helena looked at him in surprise because no one has ever questioned her willingness to help._

" _Why? Look over there." – she stood on a bench to see above the hedge walls and motioned to the Prince to follow her. – "How many cows do you count?"_

 _Simon could detect a hint of resentment in her voice so he decided to play along._

" _Six." – he replied hesitantly._

 _Helena nodded and said:_

" _Two years ago, we had sixty."_

" _The BSE crisis." – the Prince mumbled._

" _Yes. It's one thing to read about it in the papers and another thing is to experience it." – Helena remarked sharply. – "Our whole living depended on those animals… so many people's living. After we had lost them, we had to fire half of our staff, because with no livestock, we don't need any men to take care of them."_

 _Prince Simon expected to hear a longer explanation, but apparently Helena thought that she had said enough. They were quiet for a while, then Simon broke the silence:_

" _I can see that you care a lot about this farm."_

" _This is my home." – Helena replied matter-of-factly. – "I'm sure you feel the same way about yours."_

 _The Prince couldn't hold back a surprised laughter._

" _The Palace? No. It's not a real home. Not like this." – he remarked sadly. – "Once I get married, I will move into the Clarence House or the Kensington Palace. Maybe it will be different…"_

 _Helena looked at him with sympathy and she said absently:_

" _A woman can make any house a home. My mother is always telling that."_

" _Well, she made this one a home." – Prince Simon replied with a bitter smile._

 _Helena let out a scornful chuckle:_

" _Oh, I don't think it was her."_

 _The conversation stalled as neither of them knew what to say next. Helena leaned against the hedge wall and started kicking gravel, out of boredom. The Prince of Wales stared at her ankles that were sticking out under her dress, then he began to study her face._

" _Are you in love with me?" – he finally asked after a long pause._

 _Helena looked at him in astonishment and for a moment she lost control over her swirling emotions._

" _How dare you? I barely know you." – she cried. – "Besides, it would be cruel to expect me to love you when you are still in love with another."_

" _Fair enough." – replied Prince Simon, who wasn't used to that kind of talking. – "What about you? Do you love someone else?"_

 _Helena looked over the hedge desperately in the direction of the stables where the lights were still on. Alistair was waiting for her. Simon followed her gaze. A part of her wanted to tell him the truth, the whole truth to sabotage this marriage, but deep inside she knew that whatever happened now, her mother would have never allowed her to be with her true love anyway._

" _Yes." – she answered because she had already failed at hiding her feelings. However, she also knew that she had to lie if she wanted to correct her mistake. – "But it doesn't matter. We can never be together."_

" _I'm sorry." – said the Prince honestly._

" _Don't be." – answered Helena with feigned easiness. – "I'm young, I'll get over it. But you didn't come here for this. You want to know if I could love you."_

 _Simon didn't confirm, but he didn't deny either what she said._

" _I think that I could learn to love you…" – she continued – "… and I believe that you could learn to love me as well. Just don't hold on to your pain at all costs."_

 _Prince Simon was speechless, he had to process what he just heard. He was stunned by the young girl's wisdom, but that cold, rationalized way she looked to the future, frightened him. Even so, he made his decision._

" _I would be honoured if you took me as your husband." – he said quietly and brokenhearted._

 _Helena looked at him in shock._

" _What about the other girls? Don't you have to meet them as well?"_

 _The young Prince shook his head and took a huge diamond ring out of his pocket._

" _I choose you." – he replied softly and he slipped the ring on her shaking finger._


End file.
